


Element of Surprise

by mothdotjpeg



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Hannigram but they're in College, Kinda slow burn I guess, Love Confessions, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Murder Husbands, No Cannibalism, No murder, Series, mentions of alana and hannibal/will, potential gore warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 30,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24986305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothdotjpeg/pseuds/mothdotjpeg
Summary: “So?” It was 10 pm. It was a Sunday night. Will should’ve really been at his dorm. But instead, he was leaning against a wall in one of his few friend’s apartments. He was holding some type of beer that he honestly didn’t dislike, and someone was attempting to make conversation.| Will meets Hannibal at one of Alana's parties, part of him hates Hannibal. But part of him doesn't. Maybe if he wasn't so cryptic. |(Finished!)
Relationships: Alana Bloom/Margot Verger, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 39
Kudos: 160





	1. Parties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will meets Hannibal for the first time, they get to know each other.

“So?” It was 10 pm. It was a Sunday night. Will should’ve really been at his dorm. But instead, he was leaning against a wall in one of his few friend’s apartments. He was holding some type of beer that he honestly didn’t dislike, and someone was attempting to make conversation.  
Alana lived off-campus, as most of the juniors did. Not only so they could feel like real adults, but also because the dorms were old, way too overpriced, and had RAs. They would never have been able to get away with this much alcohol. Will didn’t mind Alana’s parties, although for him they weren’t much more exciting than if he had actually gone to sleep. Or done his assignment before his lecture tomorrow morning… Shit. He shook his head to himself, ignoring the person who was perched in front of him.  
Alana was pretty, she was a psych major. Which you could tell from the random DSMs that filled her bookshelves, along with random children’s picture books and trashy romance novels. Really this apartment recked of college student energy. But Alana didn’t. She had dark long hair, soft eyes, and a smile that made Will almost believe that therapy could work. Alana would make a great therapist, she made every feel so loved. Maybe that was why Will enjoyed her parties. The glances and smiles from across the room, as she laid over a crowd on her couch and laughed at some joke. She was always talking, listening, engaging. Which always made Will feel awkward and stupid. He wasn’t one to talk, he honestly wasn’t that interesting. But Alana still invited him to her gatherings. The gatherings were an odd mix of people. Most of her friends were gay, which was maybe why Will never felt weird. Not that he was gay. But they wore weird clothing and didn’t care what alcohol was in their bodies as long as it let them get away with public make-out sessions with classmates they barely knew. It was gross, and Will loved it. The scented candles mixed with booze, soft music played in the back. Speakers and a playlist no one seemed to control. Lorde was the only artist Will could specifically point out, but he recognized the others from carpools with Alana and whichever girl she was dating at the moment. Will closed his eyes and sighed into the warm post-winter break air.  
“It was a bad idea,” He mumbled under his breath, hearing a familiar artist through the speakers. Alana always played this song. It was on the tip of his tongue, he knew he’d asked her before but he always forgot. He rarely listened to music when he was alone.  
“What?” It was the same voice from earlier. Fuck. Will opened his eyes and focused on the person perched in front of him. Maybe perched wasn't the right word. The guy was familiar, he was usually seated on the couch or in the kitchen with the majority of folks at Alana’s get-togethers. Will had noticed him, but there wasn’t really anything special about him. Compared to the other eccentric people, the put-together man with a thick accent just blended in.  
“Sorry, the-” Will gestured to the air around them, as in the song lyrics were floating there. The guy’s eyebrows were furrowed together, which Will guessed he deserved. It took a moment before Will finished the sentence, almost as if he forgot the words. “-song?” Eyebrows unfurrow and the expression is replaced with a gentle smile.  
“Ah.” He was taller than Will, but right now he was sitting on the old armchair Will had found on Craigslist for Alana back in sophomore year. She had made fun of him when he asked her to come along to pick it up. Not his fault he was bad at talking to strangers. It was originally for Will himself, but his plan to move into a new apartment with some roommates fell through and he didn’t have space in his dorm room. So Alana took it off him. It had lasted a long time for being free.  
“So?” It was then that Will realized he has never answered the question. Which made him realize he didn’t know what the other man had meant. So what? Will’s face was the confused one now. His voice gentle and softly southern, the guy smiled into his martini glass and looked back up at Will.  
“What’s your major?” Alana had a thing about not using solo cups, maybe because they were so cliche, maybe because she thought it was wasteful. Instead, she had a strange collection of glasses from thrift stores and eBay that made her obvious second-hand item addiction even more visible. Nothing she owned matched, Will had given her shot glasses for Christmas their freshman year and now it wasn’t uncommon for them to jokingly take shots of coffee whenever they studied late a night.  
“Oh,” Will was looking at his beer which was still in it’s can, his hands were slightly shaking. He really wasn’t great at talking to strangers. “Criminology.” An attempt to fake a smile was made, but it failed as he met eyes with the strange friend of Alana’s. He sipped whatever he was drinking from the martini glass.  
Something about him got on Will’s nerves. Maybe it was the way he sat on the armchair, holding this martini glass like it was a gothic dinner party. Similar to his clothes which were nicely pressed, not a wrinkle to be seen. Really? He had to look prim and clean in some girl’s trashy lesbian apartment? Will didn’t like to assume things about others, but he always got carried away imagining what they were like. Probably going here for something in the medical field, rich parents, never stepping foot in the dorms. He was basically wearing a suit to be fair. It was hard not to assume.  
“Criminology.” He hummed. And then, on top of this stuck-up persona, he clearly was trying to maintain, Will couldn’t help but be weirdly flattered by his presence. The soft smile on his lips, high cheekbones that glittered with, was that glitter? Of course. The lighting in Alana’s apartment ranged from romantically dim and flashing brightly. Tonight she had set it so a soft purple, the evening feeling surprisingly chill. It was a school night after all. The way the purple grazed his blonde-gray hair, that was slicked back showing off his face. Will felt his breath catch in this throat as this man took another sip of his drink and licked his lips.  
“FBI?” Will noticed that he had been staring, and looked away to lock eyes with Alana. She was still perched on the couch with her other friends, two of them were kissing. Will always found the public displays of affection weird. But Alana said that was just how she acted with her platonic friends. He still didn’t get it.  
“Yeah, that’s the dream.” Will hummed back, trying hard to seem like he wasn’t overthinking all his actions. But he always was. It was hard to pretend to be normal, his therapist said he should try to remind himself of the time, the day, where he was, and who he was. That way he could focus on the now. He didn’t think therapy could work, so far his belief was right.  
“Where are you from?” His counterpart was leaning back into the armchair, obviously more relaxed. Will shifted his weight, hating the probably judging eyes on his body. He felt underdressed, which was rare for a college party. Usually, his t-shirt, flannel, jacket, and jeans combo was wildly more dressed up than anyone else. But with this man in nicely ironed slacks, and a button-up shirt with cuff-links, and an unbuttoned vest? He felt poor upon interaction. And he hated being judged. Even his dress shoes outdid Will’s simple hiking boots.  
“Virginia.” Will bites his lip accidentally, feeling awkward. “Wolf Trap, to be exact.” He doesn’t know why he adds that, part of him fine with letting this handsome stranger ask questions. Handsome? Will kicks himself for the thought.  
“Any siblings?” Maybe it’s because Will is eerily tired, the dim purple lighting not helping, but his counterparts accent seems to be thicker than he’s noticed before.  
“No.” Will hasn’t even seen his family since he left for college. Maybe Hannibal can smell the only child on him. Alana said he seemed like a middle kid when they met. It seemed like a lazily covered insult. He didn’t blame her. Sometimes he felt like the easily forgotten third in his parents’ relationship.  
“Age?” Another question follows a low hum from his mouth, Will is still trying to look away. He doesn’t like eye contact. Never has.  
“21.” He sips his beer as he says it, realizing it’s gotten lukewarm. But it doesn’t really bother him.  
“Are you just saying that or?” There’s a joke in his tone, but he only has a smirk on his lips. Why was he noticing his lips, Will gulped. His throat felt too dry. The other man could see his fiddling awkwardness. The way he looked at his beer can, tapped his fingers on his thigh, avoided looking into anyone’s eyes as they walked by. Will smirks a bit to himself as he retrieves his wallet from his back pocket. Shaking fingers, trying to act more confident then they are, open his wallet to show this stranger his ID.  
“21 as of winter break.” The stranger looks at his ID and then smiles as he meets Will’s awkward gaze, hovering on his lips and his cheekbones and then his eyes. They are brown, soft, and wrinkled with a smile.  
“Will?” For some reason the way his name slides through this stranger’s lips, thick with a European accent he can’t place, makes Will shiver. He licks his lips as he looks away, smiling softly.  
“Not short for William. Just Will.” Although he isn’t looking, he can hear the man’s body shifting to lean forward on the armchair. They really aren’t that far apart, maybe three feet between the chair and the wall. Alana rearranged her apartment way too often.  
They sat in silence for a minute, before Will glanced back up at the man. He never looked away from Will, which made Will feel extremely self-conscious.  
“Not fond of eye contact?” It wasn’t Swedish, or Polish. But somewhere close. Will racked his brain but found nothing inside the slightly buzzing mush of his head. He had been up too late the past few days. Really he should’ve left here before he got caught up into a conversation. Tomorrow he’d regret it, right now he fumbled with a response.  
“Eyes are distracting.” Was all he could manage before an upbeat voice came from behind the armchair.  
“Hannibal, Will, I didn’t know you two knew each other?” Alana leaned down on the back of the armchair, pressing her lips to his temple in a kiss. Hannibal. They had been talking for twenty minutes now and he never asked his name. Will groaned at himself internally.  
“No, my dear, we just met.” Hannibal smiled at Alana. He leaned his lips to her ear but didn’t whisper, just softly spoke. “You did ruin the element of surprise with my name, darling.” The dark-haired girl smirked and rolled her eyes.  
“Oh sorry, babe.” Her tone was deadpan, but she smiled at Will as she spoke. He smirked back and looked back at his beer can. Alana ruffled Hannibal’s hair as she stood up.  
“Loosen up, Hannibal.” He chuckled, and Will felt his knees get weak. What was that? Maybe it was the beer getting to his bloodstream. He hoped he could drive home.  
“And Will, please try to make friends.” She sounded like an annoyed mother, but Will didn’t mind. Sometimes he needed reminders. Not this though, something about the way Hannibal pressed a kiss to Alana’s hand as she drifted away to the couch again. The way he straightened his back, combed his fingers through his now messy hair. The way the light hit his face and his skin… It got under Will’s skin.  
“So?” It was Will’s turn to ask the question as Alana disappeared into the kitchen to refill her drink. He was going to try to have a conversation, even if he doubted this man would care to continue a friendship. Not that Will cared. But maybe his therapist was right.  
It was 10:27 pm. It was a Sunday sometime in early January, Will didn’t bother to check his phone. He was in Baltimore, Maryland. His name was Will Graham. And he was very tempted to kiss this stranger as he smiled up at Will from the armchair.  
“So?” His thick accent made Will’s stomach feel fluttery. What was happening? Nothing about this pretentious man should make him feel like this. Frankly, Will didn’t even like him. Asking so many questions, judging him with his gaze. Will should just say his goodnights and leave.  
“What’s your major?” Hannibal smiled at Will, something in his eyes not wanting Will to break the gaze. The silver-haired man crossed his legs and leaned back into the armchair again. Silence filled their conversation, only the faint lesbian music in the air.  
“Okay, uh. Where are you from?” This time Will didn’t try to cover the interest in his voice, he was sure it wasn’t an unpopular question for the man. But a smirk remained on his lips, and once again Will was answered with silence. Really, Hannibal was getting on Will’s nerves.  
“Siblings? Should I even dare to ask how old you are?” His tone was joking, but he was serious. They had been maintaining eye contact for too long, Will realized, his eyes darting to Hannibal’s lips. What had gotten into Will this evening? He gulped down the last of his beer. With that, Hannibal stood from the armchair, standing only a few steps away from Will. His body froze, and he tried to decipher the look in this stranger’s eyes. Will rarely didn’t know how others were feeling, sometimes it became too much. He could only stand Alana’s parties when everyone was drunk and braindead, other interactions being too draining. But this look was confusing, as the taller man leaned down, his lips against Will’s ear.  
“I can’t ruin the element of surprise, now can I, Will?” The tone was hushed, and his hot breath down Will’s neck made his body urge to lurk forward towards the stranger’s broad strong body. But he didn't, he gulped and closed his eyes. Feeling Hannibal’s body move away, hearing his footfalls till Will knew he had left. When he opens his eyes, he looks around to see Hannibal leaning against the kitchen counter, swirling his drink with one hand, smiling casually at Alana.  
He definitely needed to get an uber tonight, he desperately wanted to go to sleep. Alana noticed him moving towards the door from across the apartment and blew a kiss at him. Jacket, phone, keys, wallet. Everything where it was supposed to be, he faintly smiled at Alana’s gesture. He pretended not to notice Hannibal’s gaze on him. How weird the evening had become. Maybe he just needed to go to sleep.


	2. Text messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will wakes up from a nightmare to find missed text messages from Alana.

Will had gotten home well before midnight, and passed out on his bed without bothering to get undressed. Which was a mistake. He woke up in a panic at 2 am, drenched. While this was now a regular occurrence, he was usually better prepared. Tiredly, he got out of his bed, stripping off his layers till he was left with his soaked t-shirt. His clothes found his hamper, soon his sheets followed. Digging under his bed, he found some old towels and crawled back into his bed, shaking with the cold now that he was left in nothing but his shirt and boxers. He rolled over so he faced his roommate’s bed.  
Their dorm room was small, and barely any juniors lived there anymore. But Will and Beverly seemingly got stuck there. Beverly was lying facing the wall, a pillow over her head. Damn it, Will was talking in his sleep again.  
Honestly, Will didn’t know why Beverly still roomed with him. Maybe it was just a habit now to wear earplugs to bed and buy air fresheners every grocery trip. They had been roommates since freshman year, so maybe she was just used to living in a small cramped old dorm room with her weird friend. It didn’t stop him from feeling bad.  
Beverly was a down-to-earth criminal justice major. She was witty and smart, Will liked the comfortable silence of their dorm room. The way they never had to talk, they just coexisted.  
She was Korean, smiled a lot, and dyed her hair a different color every few weeks. Will honestly barely recognized the photos from freshman year when her hair was its natural black.  
They got along in a simple way, sharing the same few friends, although Beverly was better at that then he was. Will’s friends were simply whoever Beverly or Alana knew, and barely that. Maybe those two were the only people he really considered friends.  
They were similar enough to wear their dorm room wasn’t a mess of clashing ideas. It was plain, Beverly’s bed had more blankets and pillows, but most of the time she kicked the bedding onto the floor. They had a weirdly small couch where a desk had been, but both of them usually just hunched over their laptops in their beds instead so they had ditched the desk. In sophomore year Beverly had made a great plan to cover the ceiling in fairy lights, because of Will’s headaches from the bright white light that they used to have. Now half of the lights had burnt out, and Beverly had borrowed old lamps from her family to put on the makeshift dining table that they also never used. The only thing that made their dorm room not look like a failed teenager’s childhood bedroom was the minifridge filled with sparkling water, that Beverly swore tasted good, and vodka. While Beverly was also in her third year, she was a year older than Will so the bottles of shitty wine and vodka weren’t a new addition. Even though Beverly’s friends joked about their shitty dorm room, neither of them really minded. It was how it was, and Brian and Jimmy couldn’t really judge.  
Will sighed into the early morning air, snow softly started to fall outside their window. There was something so lonely about the tiredness behind his eyes and the way he startled awake whenever his eyes dared to close. Chronic nightmares. His therapist said it was because of his anxiety. She said a lot of things. Silently, he searched for his phone on the bedside table. When he opened it, it blinds him for a moment.  
“Fuck,” He mumbled quietly as he turned the brightness down to see texts from earlier that night that he never bothered to check. 12 texts from Alana, and one from a number he doesn’t recognize. He should deal with them later, he should try to sleep before his lecture at 8 am. But he doesn’t, he unlocks his phone to read what Alana sent him. 

I see you’ve made a new friend ;) - [10:05 pm]  
Someone’s chatty tonight? - [10:15 pm]  
Will? - [10:15 pm]  
Look at your stupid phone, loser - [10:16 pm]  
I’m coming over if you don’t stop me - [10:21 pm]

Will smiles to himself, ever impatient and nosy. Of course, his phone had been on vibrate, maybe he would’ve stopped her. Then Hannibal’s name would still be a mystery like he wanted. Maybe he’s glad he didn’t stop her. He continues to scroll through her texts. The next one is a picture of Hannibal leaning down to Will’s ear, lips open. 

??? What did he tell you, nerd? - [10:31 pm] 

That fluttering feeling is back in his stomach, and he squeezes his eyes closed. He tries to take a deep breath, hoping it would go away. But it doesn’t. Why did Alana take a picture of them? Was this her plan?

Shame you’re not gay - [10:40 pm]  
He thinks you’re cute, Will. This is progress. Seriously text me back - [10:41pm]  
Okay, you probably passed out drunk so you can’t say no to this - [10:45 pm]  
I gave him your number, sorry! - [10:46 pm]  
(not sorry though) - [10:46 pm]

Will is staring at her texts, and he sits up straight in bed. Cute? Not gay? His number? Without realizing it, his face gets warm. What was happening? And why was Alana like this? Part of him is upset, hoping he wouldn’t have any further interactions with this strange put-together student. Part of him is glad. He doesn’t bother to respond to the messages yet, instead, he opens the text from the unfamiliar number. 

Forgive Alana, she gets carried away. But I’m sure you know that, Will.- HL - [11:03 pm]

He didn’t even put his name, just initials like it was some secret note. Will rolls his eyes, but part of him is relieved Hannibal wasn’t after anything. A simple apology for Alana’s actions, which Will was surely used to at this point. It wasn’t the first time Alana had given his number to random people, mostly girls at random parties that Alana finds. This was the first time she gave it to a guy, and Will shook his head wondering why she thought there was anything there.  
Somehow though, the whole situation had calmed him down, tiring his body and eyes till he passed out with the thought of a strange acquaintance’s accent and smirk. There was certainly nothing there.


	3. Weirder Things Have Happened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will finds Hannibal waiting for him outside class, they take a walk.

“So?” A jolt went down Will’s spine as he turned to see the tall silver-blonde that accompanied the accent. 

The morning had been its usual blur, waking up too early to walk to Alana’s apartment in pajama pants to retrieve his car. A dirty glare from Alana as she had sat on the sidewalk next to Will’s trash can of a car. It had been 6:30 am after all, and Will was sure that Alana hadn’t gotten to bed any early than he had. They didn’t exchange any words aside from a sweaty and tired Will asking if he could use her shower. She rolled her eyes and trotted upstairs to her bed. Will had showered and changed with the clothes he brought, thanked an asleep Alana, and driven back to his spot at the dorms. Overpriced parking pass, but he practically lived in his car some days so he didn’t mind.   
He had walked in the snow, not minding the cold. Gotten breakfast and coffee and settled into a seat at 7:45 am for his lecture. He was always first, picking his favorite seat. It had been a usual Monday morning. But of course, something had to interfere in his schedule. 

“Jesus Christ, you really know how to scare someone, huh?” Will didn’t mean it in a bad way, but he was tall, strong, in a way too formal outfit, and looming. Weirdly gothic, weirdly attractive. He noticed that Hannibal didn’t have any tiredness in his eyes, just the same crinkle from a soft smirk.   
“Did I scare you, Will?” It wasn’t English, Irish, Scottish, or Welsh. He knew that for sure. The way he said Will’s name made his tired head melt a bit. What the fuck was going on?  
“Obviously,” Will muttered, clearing his throat a bit when he met Hannibal’s eyes. They stood there for a moment, Will’s eyes darting around Hannibal’s figure. He was around 6 feet tall, only a few inches taller than Will, although his bad posture didn’t help the difference. A simple cream shirt, similar to the one he wore the night before, the top buttons undone. A long masculine winter coat that probably cost more than Will’s car had, it was brown and warm. He wore it unbuttoned, letting you see the necklaces that adorned his neck and chest. His body was lean like Will’s, but he assumed if he felt his arms or chest that they would be firm. He shook his head at himself and scanned the rest of Hannibal. Simple nice pants like the evening before, shiny dress shoes. His hands rest in his pockets, pushing the thick woven fabric of his coat behind him. Of course, his posture is perfect and formal. Of course, he smelled of nice cologne, not that Will was trying to smell him. It was just hard not to notice.   
“Easily scared for someone interested in crime,” Hannibal’s voice brought Will back to the present, away from Hannibal’s clean leather messenger bag- which of course made Will self-conscious about his old worn-out backpack. The sentence didn’t seem to end, but Hannibal hummed to himself as he looked at Will and didn’t continue.   
“I’m not easily scared, you just,” Will struggled with his words, feeling stupidly small in comparison to Hannibal’s large presence. “-surprised me, that’s all.” It came out too quiet, and he noticed a shift in Hannibal’s body as if he moved closer to hear him better. Probably just his imagination. His companion hummed.   
“So, do you have anything urgent after this?” It was weird for him to ask, Will felt uncomfortable as he stood there. The lecture hall was basically empty behind him, his classmates had left. Awkwardly standing in the doorway as Hannibal peered at him.   
“Uh,” Will didn’t have anything. Expect a late assignment to do, and hopefully some social engagement with Beverly’s friends for dinner. Monday’s were laid back, Will made sure of it. But he didn’t really want to disclose that to this posh man. He noticed that his hair was slicked back like it had been at the beginning of their conversation last night. It looked better ruffled up, Will thought. “Not really.” It came out flatly. He looked at his feet.   
“Can we walk and talk then?” It was a strange invitation. Not very clear or precise. Just walking and talking. Talking about what? Will gulped down the lump in his throat and took a breath in. It was 9:06 am. It was Monday, the 11th of January. He was in Baltimore, Maryland. His name was Will Graham.  
“Yeah, sure.” But he didn’t move, continuing to stand in the doorway, looking up at Hannibal. The taller man’s eyebrows furrowed like they had last night, and Will felt his palms start to sweat. He was bad at this.   
“Hey, Will.” For the second time that morning, he flinched in surprise and turned to see his roommate standing behind him. He had been blocking the doorway.  
“Fuck sorry,” He moved out of her way and she smiled at them. Her hair was currently a growing out bleached blonde. As was usual over winter break, she forgot to dye it crazy colors while she was visiting family. Will enjoyed the empty dorm room, but by the time classes were back he was grateful for human company.   
“Hannibal, I didn’t know you knew Will?” She wasn’t particularly short, but compared to Hannibal she seemed small. Her winter attire being her usual leather jacket, with an additional scarf. How did she know Hannibal? She rarely went to Alana’s parties.   
“We’ve just met actually,” He smiled at Beverly politely, reaching his hand out of his pocket to take her hand and press his lips to it, kissing softy. Beverly smiles softly and her cheeks get slightly redder. Such a gentleman, Will thinks to himself. He notices that Hannibal is wearing a few rings on his fingers.   
“As of last night,” Will adds for some reason, and Beverly gave him a wink before smiling and leaving the two of them. What was that? He pursed his lips and looked back at Hannibal whose gaze followed Beverly as she walked quickly to her next class.   
“You’re that Will?” Now that Hannibal’s hands are free, Will notices that he talks with them. Always something that Will found endearing in someone, Alana did it on occasion. Helped him focus on conversations, maybe that’s why so many professors did it. He noticed himself getting lost in thought.   
“Uh, what Will?” He realized what Hannibal meant a moment later but didn’t fix his question, waiting for a response from the European man.   
“Beverly’s roommate, she mentions you sometimes.” He leaves it at that, Will’s brain begging to ask why she mentions him. Hannibal smiles down at him. “So, where to?” It’s so casual. This is all very casual, and he looks at the ground. He would’ve gone back to his dorm room, probably hung out in bed writing for the rest of the day until dinner. But he didn’t really want to go there with this formal man, however casual his conversation was.   
“I was going to go back to my dorm but,” He doesn’t really know how to follow that without sounding rude. But I don’t really want you to see my messy dorm room and I don’t think you would dare step foot inside this college’s dorm rooms regardless. Hannibal could smell the awkwardness on Will, the way his gaze shifts and his voice trails off.   
“Well, if you don’t mind walking in the snow, I’m sure there are some remainders from breakfast in the dining hall.” It’s not a question, just a statement met with a kind gaze. Will considers it for a moment, realizing that his breakfast of black coffee and a scone wasn’t enough. Normally he would’ve been fine, but with the offer, he shrugs. If his schedule is already interrupted then why not? 

For someone who looks like he’s never set foot inside the dining hall, Hannibal seemingly led the way casually. Although Will was walking next to him, he felt as if he was following the other. It had been a silent walk, Hannibal walking slowly, peering at the snow that fluttered down. Will, of course, watched the man. He had been the one to suggest walking and talking, and he was rather silent.   
“So how do you know Alana?” Their eyes met and Will looked away, his brain running with everything from the past few hours. Alana’s texts, Beverly’s wink, the almost-stranger walking next to him unaware of what Will knew. Hannibal thought Will was cute.   
“We shared a psychology class freshman year, kinda got stuck with her.” He looked down at the ground as he spoke, remembering the group project that he did with Alana in her freshman dorm room. The first person who bothered to say hi to the nerdy guy who couldn’t make eye contact.   
“Stuck with the weird gay group?” Those warm brown eyes never left Will. It sounded like a joke, but his tone remained serious which caused Will to look up and meet his gaze.   
“Uh, yeah I guess.” He was after all the weird third wheel at her gatherings. But he never minded, they were fun. Made him question a lot of things, but fun. Although it was cold outside, he felt his face get warmer. “How do you know Alana?” Hannibal smiled to himself a bit.  
“We meet via a mutual ex.” The air was cold, and Will felt Hannibal’s gaze on his face as he looked forward, admiring the campus he called home. “We met at one of her get-togethers, of course. I was always interested in psychology and she is an excellent person to talk to.” Will nodded at that without thinking, most people who knew Alana had the same opinion of her. It was the most personal info Will had gotten about this man in the two interactions they had had. He liked it, liked listening to him talk. There was something so thoughtful and professional about how he picked his words as if they were prepared. They returned to silence for a minute, Will trying to figure out what to say next but as always he was bad with words.   
“What does the L stand for?” Hannibal looked at Will, something in his eyes seemed caught off-guard. He didn’t seem like one to be caught off-guard often, which made Will slightly smile to himself. Why did he do that? “In your text last night,” He explained, “HL?”   
“Lecter. Hannibal Lecter.” He wasn’t looking at Will as he spoke, but he heard Will’s breathe get caught in his throat and he glanced over. Hot cheeks, cold air, snow fluttering around them. It made Will’s breathe come short, the way Hannibal casually answered. So much for the element of surprise. When he glanced back at Hannibal, he was met with a soft smirk, his tongue sticking out slightly. Almost lost in thought.   
“Did you,” Will starts before he realizes it, stopping mid-sentence as Hannibal’s eyes stay focused on him. “-uh.” It comes out lamely and he looks at the ground to avoid embarrassment. A familiar hum from the taller man’s lips.   
“Uh?” There’s something funny about the way this well-put-together polite posh European man mimics Will’s hesitant confusion. One of those things that makes Will’s face not get any less pink, but also makes him feel judged and uncomfortable. He’s pretty sure he disliked Hannibal, doesn’t know why he agreed to go on this breakfast adventure.   
“Did you ask Alana for my number?” Will says it because there’s no reason for him not too. Pretend to be good at this social interaction thing, pretend to tolerate the company of this strange student. Hannibal hums again and looks away from Will to the building ahead of them. Staying silent he opens the door for Will and smiles softly as he ushers him into the dining hall. 

It takes till they’re both sitting at a table - Will quietly chewing at a bowl of sugary cereal, Hannibal holding a sprinkled donut - for Will to get a response.   
“Only to apologize on behalf of her probable countless, predictably annoying, text messages surrounding the evening’s events.” It was weird to see him sitting on the uncomfortable dining hall chairs. Although many of the students were, or attempted to be, as well dressed as Hannibal there was simply an air around him as if he was on an invisible pedestal of high-end well-off poshness. But he seemed to know his way around better than even Will, who ate most of his meals here. Maybe he just held himself better. God, he really did come off as a douchebag didn’t he?   
Hannibal’s eyes met Will as he spoke, Will stopping mid-chew as he felt his heart beat fast in his chest. This man really had his way about being charming, simply from existing.   
“Oh, yeah,” he mumbled with his mouth full before he swallowed and finished. “She is predictable.” It was around 9:30 am now, and Will thought about how the rest of the day would go. But he honestly couldn’t figure it out, maybe because of the man in front of him and the weird turn to the morning. Almost certainly because he couldn’t ever imagine how to end a social interaction. Hannibal was eating his donut politely, Will wanted to punch him because he literally couldn’t do anything that wasn’t nice and handsome. God.   
“You’re oddly responsive,” Will started, trying to crack a joke but being met with a cold confused gaze. He cleared his throat and stirred his cereal slowly. “For, uh, wanting the element of surprise.” It was weird for Will to be more talkative then someone. Hannibal swallowed another bite of his donut, and gently set it down on a napkin, Will looked at the fallen sprinkles to avoid the gaze.   
“Those who like to teach, often like to learn.” His tone was simple and calm, the accent rolling softly into the quiet dining hall. “But those who like to learn aren’t always willing to teach.” What was he talking about? “Ask a question, and many will respond. It is in our nature to want to share ourselves, be seen and validated, is it not, Will?” Will was confused but he nodded his head slightly in response, caught up in his cereal and this weird foreign man’s speech. “But so many of us do not care for others. We ask to seem polite, waiting for a common interest or opinion to slip from each other’s lips. While we are often so willing to talk, we are rarely willing to listen.” Hannibal’s hands weren’t moving, so much for talking with his hands, Will was most definitely unsure what he was going on about. “And yet, when one is not to respond to your uncaring polite questions, you cannot help but be interested. What are they hiding? Why do they not trust me?” Will looked down at his now-empty bowl of cereal. “When we do not freely give ourselves to someone else, they cannot help but be curious about what was uninteresting before. It is our nature, is it not?” This rant still made no sense to Will, who desperately wished for another cup of coffee. When he realized Hannibal had paused, genuinely wanting for a response from Will, he nodded again. Still not anymore sure about what was happening. “Tell me, Will. Does it excite you when I give you a response to your simple, unimportant questions?” Okay, now that came off even more douchey than before. Will squinted at him, balling a napkin in his fist.   
“You have to be a psych major, huh?” Was his response, but Hannibal’s lips did not shift from his serious expression. The air was silent for a minute as Hannibal studied Will’s face. He felt self-conscious yet again, he hadn’t shaved in a while. His skin was always too dry, the winter air not helping. His tongue ran over his teeth without thinking, his grip on the napkin tightened. Suddenly, Hannibal stood up. Will watched as he covered the remained of his donut with the napkin and put it in his coat pocket. His gaze returned to his bowl, half-filled with milk, wondering what he had said to make Hannibal suddenly want to leave. Then he feels the hot breath down his neck again, soft lips pressed close to his ear.   
“It seems like you’re obsessed with me now, doesn’t it? So much for the element of surprise.” And then Will was left in the dining hall alone with his bowl and spoon and an empty seat. He turned to see Hannibal leave, but he was gone.   
Obsessed? He was just curious about this annoying man who followed him to class this morning. Who apologized for texts he assumed Alana sent. Who told Alana that he was cute. Will blushed and felt his phone buzz in his pocket. 

Did I just see Hannibal leave the dining hall? - [9:41 am]

Will rolled his eyes and left Alana on-read. Weirder things have probably happened. Maybe not.


	4. The Cannibal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will seems to be the only one who hasn't met Hannibal before, and he learns about his new acquaintance's school nickname.

It wasn’t a strange occurrence for Will and Beverly’s dorm room to smell like pizza and be filled with two extra people. Jimmy and Brian came over for dinner often, and Will rarely minded.   
Honestly, how these two and Beverly became friends was a mystery to Will. When he met Beverly and her bright pink hair, he assumed her friends would be more similar to her. Dyed hair, black outfits, edgy jokes, and Tumblr-aesthetic rooms. But Brian and Jimmy were two seemingly douchey white boys who were never seen apart. Upon meeting them he had assumed they were lowkey a thing but turned out they just had a strong bromance. Beverly loved them though, and Will had grown attached to their constant banter.   
Tonight was the usual, Beverly sitting on Will’s bare mattress next to him, a bottle of beer in hand, laughing at something one of the boys had said. Jimmy and Brian shared Beverly’s bed, rambling about everything and nothing.   
Jimmy was a senior and his interests were ranging from old-school video games to a weird and new passion for bees. He talked a lot about whatever, and Will normally stored the random information he shared in the back of his brain for future use. It was never useful. Brian, shared a similar interest in video games, pizza, and frat parties, and Will honestly never understood or learned anything about him in the past three years of knowing each other. The only common interests he had with them was an interest in crime, horror movies, and talking about girls. Although the last one was a stretch.  
“Hey guys,” Beverly started, and Will could hear the third beer getting to her. She was a lightweight, and it usually led to very interesting school nights when she lost track of what she was drinking. Luckily she always passed out by 10 pm, and rarely had a hangover. “Will meet the cannibal today.” Brian elbowed Jimmy to look up from his phone, which was being used for sending each other memes that Will didn’t bother to look at. The cannibal? Will met Beverly’s wide smiled gaze. “Fuck! Sorry, they met last night.” She winked at Will again and started laughing. Brian leaned forward from his spot against the wall and looked from Beverly to Will.   
“The cannibal? Damn, how’d that go?” His face was cracked in a smile similar to Beverly’s, eyes full of interest. Will was deeply confused.   
“Um, who’s the cannibal?” It was the first time he had said anything all night, he rarely joined their conversations. Beverly started laughing harder, which made Jimmy look up from his phone again.   
“Really not a hard one to figure out, man.” How did Jimmy and Brian know something Will didn’t? He was great at listening, and yet he missed something. Cannibal?   
“We’re talking about Hannibal, stupid.” Beverly elbowed Will hard in the ribs after a moment without his realization. Will thought about it for a moment as his friends stared at him impatiently.   
“Cuz his name rhymes?” Hannibal the cannibal. Weird, yes, but worthy of a whole nickname? Will shook his head.   
“You see,” Jimmy had turned his phone off, leaning in. He did this when he had something important to say, Will had quickly realized nothing he said was ever that important. “that was a lucky coincidence on my end.” Beverly grabs the last piece of pizza before Brian could and he sighs, both of them settle as if Jimmy is about to share some amazing origin story about some weird nickname.  
“So, why is he called the cannibal?” He feels stupid asking, but he does want to know what this strange mysterious European was called something as cryptic as “the cannibal”. Jimmy looks at Beverly and Brian, and then to Will.   
“Oh, he’s just very charismatic and every single people falls for him, regardless of if they’re into dudes or not. He gets more ass than anyone around, and yet no one could tell you a single personal fact about the man. He can’t take his lips off people, he’s gonna be a psychopath if you ask me.” He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. “And by the looks of it, you’re his next victim.” With that Will looked down at his hands and felt his phone buzz. Beverly started to laugh again.  
“If he’s so popular, how have I never met him?” Beverly snorts and looks at Brian, who is still looking jealously as the half-eaten piece of pizza in her hand.   
“Well,” Brian hops off the bed to find another beer in their mini-fridge. “You aren’t a girl or a gay, so it’s not like he’s tried getting into your pants.” Will took his glasses off to wipe his forehead, it always got weirdly warm in their dorm room when people were over. Maybe it was just Will. “Not till now, apparently.” He winked when Will met his gaze, what was with that?   
“How do you two know him then?” Something about the whole ordeal was making Will uncomfortable. Why was Hannibal taking an interest in him? Brian nudges Jimmy.   
“This guy has known him since they were both freshmen.” It’s weirdly silent in the dorm room, normally all of them laughing or listening to music. Jimmy pipes in.  
“Yeah, when I was trying to be a doctor. We met in some medical class before I switched majors, seen him around ever since.” He sips his drink and shrugs. “Weird guy.” Oh, so there is one new sliver of information about him. Medical degree. Explains why he seems rich. Will shifts his body on his mattress, ready to change the subject.   
“I met him when he screwed Bev-” Brian was interrupted by Beverly yelping and shushing him loudly. A burst of laughter from the boys, Will looked at Beverly confused.   
“We didn’t do anything, Jesus Christ.” That was followed by an “uh-huh” from Brian, and they started bickering. Will tuned out after Beverly said he only got to second base and opened his phone to see who was texting him. 

how was your day post-hang-out sesh with Hannibal Lecter? ;) - [7:39 pm]

Alana was too nosy, and Will huffed to himself about it as he heard a drunk Beverly threaten to hit Brian with her empty beer bottle. 

What are all of you onto? - [7:51 pm]

Will rarely gave her a response unless it was actually important. Fuck, was this actually important to him? Alana’s typing bubble popped up but disappeared after a minute. He shoved his phone into his pocket and turned back into the conversation as Beverly turned to him.   
“Hey Will, can you go get us ice cream?” She got up to find her purse lost somewhere in the mess of their room, Will’s eyes followed her. Not confused, maybe a bit disappointed. Maybe even more relieved.   
“Yeah.” She shoved some cash into his hand and kissed his cheek. He was the only one with a car, therefore he was the one asked to run errands. He didn’t mind.   
“Thank you.” And he slipped out the door. Not expecting who was waiting outside. Another whole body flinch, and loud sigh as Will looked to see who was leaning against the wall outside his door.  
“For fuck’s shake.”


	5. Ice cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana and Will talk about Hannibal.

Alana started laughing, seeing the flushed look on Will’s face. Honestly, when he stepped out of his door and his peripheral vision clocked someone outside he assumed it was Hannibal. He wouldn’t say he had hoped, but part of him has wondered if randomly scaring Will was going to become a regular in Hannibal’s life. It wasn’t so far, and Will kicked himself for the thought. He wasn’t special after all, just another victim for the cannibal.   
“Were you expecting someone else?” Will rolled his eyes and started walking down the hallway, Alana quickly moving from her spot in front of the door and trailed behind him.   
“No, but you aren’t the first person to surprise me today.” By the time Alana caught up to him, they were in front of the elevator. It was rare for Alana to show up at his dorms, normally they’re interactions were limited to nosy texts and parties at Alana’s.   
“Loser, did they send you on a mission for ice cream again?” The elevator dinged and Will gave Alana a half-smile. “Push-over.” She stated, her eyes glistening in the dim elevator lighting. Will hummed and looked at his feet, unsure what to do with his hands like usual.   
“I don’t mind.” He didn’t. Normally he took the time to listen to music in his car or scroll through twitter in the parking lot. One time he fell asleep in his car and the ice cream melted. They didn’t let him live it down for months.   
“Oh yeah because you love driving half a mile to a gas station to get shitty ice cream for your three friends?” Her tone was joking, she didn’t usually make fun of Will but he never really minded when she did. When he looked down at her, she was smiling jokingly.   
“Yeah, I’m weird I know.” It took two more floors till the elevator dinged again, and Will realized he had no idea why Alana was here. She followed him out of the building and into the cold. Will didn’t bother with a jacket, but Alana held her arms close to her chest and she stood in front of his car. He unlocked it and then looked up at Alana.   
“Uh, sorry. Wanna ride with me?” Without speaking, they both got into the car and sat in silence as it heated up. Will tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, looking from his hands to Alana who was squinting at him. “What’s up?” He askes tentatively, making eye contact with her.   
“I love you but,” It was a weird way to begin any conversation, Will’s brows furrowing with confusion. But what? “-I need to talk to you about Hannibal.” Oh great.   
“I’ve known him for all of two minutes, and suddenly everyone assumes I’m about to get down on my knees for the guy.” It just comes out, something had been getting on his nerves ever since his friends learned that they’d met. Alana looked at him and started laughing.   
“I was joking, Will. Seriously. I was just gonna warn you that he definitely assumes things about you.” As she spoke she untied her hair from its updo, letting her hair fall onto her shoulders, covering her exposed neck. She always under-dressed for the weather, only to later complain about the cold.   
“What things?” Will tried to focus on backing out of his spot, and the road ahead. But something in her voice made him feel uneasy. If he had known everyone would try to get up in his business when he had responded to Hannibal’s questions, maybe he would’ve thought better of it. Not bothered to talk to the stuck-up man.   
“Will.” Alana gave him a look, he kept his eyes on the road. “You’re a twink.” That made Will snort, and then cough to cover it. His face flushed, and he avoided noticing Alana’s expression in his peripheral.   
“No, I’m not.” He stumbled over his words, trying to hide his embarrassment. It wasn’t as if Alana and her friends didn’t joke about it, they did, but never in reference to another man’s interest. Will swallowed, trying to avoid the dryness of his mouth. Alana was smiling.   
“Your horrible fashion sense doesn’t stop your twink-iness. And,” Alana added, “your body language doesn’t exactly help your cause.” They were stopped at a red light, although no one cars were around. The snow glittered around them in the late evening moonlight. Will gave up and looked over at Alana. His body language? “Oh no, you don’t even know.”   
“Know what?” This whole situation was catching Will off-guard, he regretted inviting Alana into his car. He looked away as the light changed, and felt Alana’s eyes on him.   
“Will, you are awkward.” No new information there. He had always been awkward and nerdy and he never knew what to say or what his hands should be doing. He sweat a little too much when he was nervous, and he was only truly comfortable talking about school and crime-related things. “But the thing is when you meet new people, especially pretty new people, they kinda assume,” Alana paused, realizing that Will really didn’t know. “That you into them?” It came off like a question, making Will to quickly look at her before back at the road.   
“No, they just assume I’m weird,” and he used one of his hands to make quotation marks, “and “on the spectrum”.” It wasn’t new for people to avoid him because of his rambling one-sided conversations about his interests, or his lack of eye contact, or the fact he really wasn’t good at anything relating to people. No one thought it was charming.   
“You really don’t realize you do this, huh?” Alana almost started laughing, thinking it was obvious. But of course, Will was oblivious. He shook his head but didn’t look at her. “Let’s see… Stumbling over your words, avoiding eye contact for too long, getting flushed and embarrassed easily, and that awkward smirk.” Was she actually onto something? Will couldn’t tell. Before she could go on, Will pulled into the gas station parking lot and parked the car. He looked at Alana and squinted, her mouth hanging open ready to go on.   
“I’ll,” Why did he even bother talking? “be back in a second.” And he slammed the door behind him.

Three tubes of ice cream later, he opened the car door and sat down, being met with Alana starting again.  
“Will, you know how I realized you were straight?” It was a weird question, but from Alana, he should’ve expected it. “Cuz I assumed you liked me. Legit dude, the number of times I caught you staring?” Will flushed, partly from the cold he told himself. But honestly, he had slightly been into Alana when they first met. Not his fault he never talked to girls in high school, they all seemed to ignore him. And plus, everyone wanted to date Alana. She was so kind, and the way she smiled at people made you fall for her in an instant. “My point is, I assumed you were into me when we met, and I am not alone. Everyone who’s ever talked to you thinks so.” Will groaned and buckled his seatbelt. “And in their defense, can you really judge them? Cute awkward nerd alert! Of course, they assume you think they’re hot, and of course, they think you have a pretty face.” It wasn’t the first Alana had told him that he was pretty, on many occasions she tried to talk him into wearing contacts so she could see his face better. He just assumed most people ignored him because he was very good at hiding in the corner.   
“Okay, then why have I only had about five dates in my entire college career?” That caused Alana to snort slightly, and keep her gaze on Will.   
“Because you have a very good habit of not asking for people’s number, not texting the numbers you get back, and I’m sorry to break it to you dude but, you’re way too into crime.” He knew it all to be true, every date he has attempted had been cut short early because of his general lack of interesting conversation. He never texted girls back, and he was horrible at asking anyone out.   
“Well, it’s not my fault I’m a criminology nerd.” Will huffed to himself, unsure of how this simple car trip for ice cream had turned into Alana calling him pretty and also stupid. Weren’t they supposed to be talking about Hannibal?   
“The point is, Will. There’s a really hot, weird, rich guy who’s stalking you and thinks you are the cute twink boy of his dreams. And if you are bicurious, like I’ve been suspecting for years now, then you need to get your act together, stop dressing like that, and act like you aren’t oblivious all the time. Or if you are fiercely heterosexual, which is a huge bummer for the gay guys around campus, then you gotta make sure Hannibal knows that.” By the time she was done talking, Will had pulled into his spot and parked, looking at Alana confused.   
“Wanna come hang out with us?” Will had decided to ignore everything Alana has just said, probably because he can’t figure out what his plan of action was in relation to Hannibal. She rolls her eyes and sighs at him.   
“Oh no, I’m gonna go home and sleep. But tell Bev and the boys hi for me.” She leans in to kiss his cheek. “And please tell me before you make any Hannibal-related decisions.” And then she slipped out of his car and Will was left alone with his tubes of ice cream. His phone buzzed. 

heyy did you fall asleep again??? jk but like… Ice cream? - [8:41 pm]

It’s from Beverly, and Will chuckles to himself before seeing a test message below it, from a number without a contact name. 

So? - HL - [8:39 m]


	6. Am I Your Next Victim?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal finally answers Will's questions

Will was back on his bed, alone this time. Beverly had been asleep when he returned to their dorm with ice cream, and Jimmy had simply picked her up and tucked her in. Simple smiles passed between Will and the two other guys, who had departed with the ice cream Will had offered them.  
It was nearing 10 pm, the fairy lights had been turned off, the dorm had cooled down back to its regular chilly state. Will didn’t mind, sitting uncovered on his bed, still fully dressed. He wouldn’t make the same mistake as last night though. The only light came from Will’s phone, anxiety in the way he ate from a tube of ice cream, waiting for a response.  
So? - HL - [8:39 pm]

so what? - [8:50 pm]

What have you heard about me? - [8:53 pm] 

what haven’t i heard about you? - [9:00 pm]

That had left Hannibal silent for a bit, leaving some anxiety building in Will’s chest. 

When do you have to be up tomorrow? - [9:16 pm]

Will noticed the perfect punctuation in his texts as if he could hear that strange accent when he read them. 

why? - [9:20 pm]  
so you don’t scare me after class again? - [9:24 pm] 

This is why he hated texting. The silence, waiting for a response. At least there weren’t weird glances and awkward air between them like in real conversations. After half an hour Will gave up waiting for a response and tried to distract himself with videos of dogs on Twitter.  
Then there was a knock on his door. It didn’t startle him, but he got up confused, leaving his ice cream and phone on his towel-covered bed. When he opened his door, he was met with a tall man in the same clothes as earlier that morning.  
“Oh,” His voice cracked in surprise but his gaze didn’t drift from Hannibal’s eyes. “Hannibal.” It sounded somewhat disappointed, although Will didn’t mean it to be. He looked away, still confused about why Hannibal was here in the first place.  
“Will.” He smiled down at him, acting like this was completely normal. It wasn’t. They both stood there for a moment, looking at each other before Will groans a little to himself and steps aside.  
“Uh, please come in.” He gestures weakly to let Hannibal in, and he kindly nods and steps inside. Closing the door behind them, Will turns to see Hannibal standing in the middle of his messy dorm room. This evening wasn’t going as well as planned. Alana, and now Hannibal interrupting his usual routine. It’s wrong to see this man, still in his long coat and elegant clothing, standing in the middle of bedding and pizza boxes and beer bottles, taking his gloves off slowly as he looks around. He shouldn’t be here right now. Maybe he isn’t. Maybe Will is just having another vivid dream, and when he wakes up this weird Hannibal-filled day won’t have happened. Beverly snores softly, taking Will out of his thoughts. He’s been staring blankly at Hannibal, who had taken his gloves off and tilted his head to read the name on the pizza box.  
“Don’t worry,” Will starts, realizing he’s the one worrying. “Bev can sleep through anything so…” He trails off as he looks back at his open phone and the tube of ice cream with a spoon sticking out. If Hannibal hadn’t judged Will before this point, he definitely was now. This was a mess. Hannibal meets Will’s lost gaze and just smiles softly.  
“No worries, Will.” Although he’s responding to Will’s comment about Beverly, it feels like a blank statement about the state of his room and this whole situation. That made a little bit of the weight on Will’s shoulders lift, and he sighed without thinking.  
“So,” This time, much like their interaction last night, it was Will who said it. Wondering why Hannibal was standing there in his room. Two surprise interactions today were enough to wear Will out, but this was a third. He really didn’t like small talk or not small talk for that matter. But he didn’t want to ask Hannibal to leave, really. He would survive this interaction, even though he knew it’d be a relief when Hannibal left.  
“Oh sorry, I just,” For the first time, Hannibal sounded unsure as he spoke. Will almost found it amusing. A small amount of power in his position, after all this was Will’s room. Hannibal was the strange uninvited guest. “I was just in the area,” Hannibal speaks it like he’d been trying to decide which excuse to say for a while. It comes out a bit relieved as if he was tired of holding it in and thinking about it.  
“Sure,” Will said absentmindedly as he moved past Hannibal to sit on his bed. He was exhausted from all the talking he’d done that day and decided that he didn’t care if Hannibal judged him for his ice cream and towel-covered bed. Sitting down, he shoved his phone into his pocket and took a bite of ice cream before looking up at Hannibal who was still standing.  
“I’m sorry if I interrupted anything, Will. If you would prefer I can leave you alone, no worries.” The way he spoke was so weird. Will felt bad for his awkward and off-putting personality, not wanting to make Hannibal feel unwelcome. But at the same time, he did come to his apartment at 10 pm with no rhyme or reason.  
“Oh no, you’re,” Will pauses before he finishes. “fine. I wasn’t doing anything important.” He yawns softly and takes another bite of ice cream. “It’s just weird seeing you in my dorm room. Can’t imagine you in one.” It came off somewhat judgemental, and to be fair it was. Hannibal chuckled a little at that, and Will forced his gaze to rest on his spoon and not the smile upon his counterpart’s lips.  
“Fair observation, Will.” Their eyes met again, he says Will’s name when he speaks to him. How strange. They wait in silence for a minute, Will chewing his ice cream, both of them looking at each other.  
“Uh,” Will looks away and stands up. “Sit.” He doesn’t look at Hannibal or the couch but gestures vaguely. After a minute of searching through dresser draws, he turns around with a plastic spoon still wrapped in plastic from whatever fast food place it came from. “Here,” He hands the spoon to Hannibal, and gets the ice cream from his bed, and sits down on the somewhat uncomfortable couch. Hannibal looks down at him, cross-legged, on this couch which was small enough to probably be considered a love seat, and his eyes twinkle with curiosity for the strange life the brown-haired nerd led.  
Hannibal takes off his coat, leaving it on Will’s bed, and sits down next to him. There is space between them, Will pressing himself as small as possible for his general dislike of human contact. Hannibal noticed. They say nothing. The sounds of Beverly snoring, Hannibal unwrapping the plastic spoon, and Will softly chewing ice cream fill the small dorm room. Will watched as Hannibal took a bite of ice cream and hummed, closing his eyes.  
“So,” It felt weird to be the one in charge of the situation. The one who owned the couch, and the one who was starting the conversations. It was Hannibal who had showed up here, after all, and Will had accepted his weak excuse of a reason to be here. “The cannibal, huh?” Hannibal stopped mid-chew to look back at Will. He swallowed, eyes going from confusion to amusement. Although he had chuckled before, Will didn’t expect him to start laughing. It was soft and playful, warm, and inviting like his eyes.  
“Hannibal the cannibal.” It’s weird to hear from his mouth, but Will smiles at it. It is funny. They laugh quietly for a moment before Hannibal speaks again. “I hope you don’t have a problem with that, Will.” Does he? Will looked away from Hannibal and sighed.  
“Am I your next victim?” That made Hannibal stop laughing, and Will could feel his eyes on him. A shiver went down his back, the air felt like it was standing still.  
“Only if you want to be.” It was an odd response. No one really controls if they are a victim or not, if that was the case no one would choose to be. But of course, no one was actually a victim here. Just a player in a one night stand with a strange college student. It made Will feel uncomfortable, so he avoided looking back at Hannibal and thought about changing the subject.  
“Did you come over here for that reason?” He gave into the question and dared to look back at Hannibal. It made him feel weird, to be assuming that Hannibal wanted him in some way. Whether it was simply sexual, or otherwise. Hannibal was looking at him, eyes twinkling with interest like before, but his expression was still and calm. His lips stuck out a bit, lost in thought maybe. Will never assumed anyone liked him, maybe at the moment. A first interaction, simply telling a mutual friend their attraction. But never past that, never past an awkward walk in the snow. Never past breakfast, never past text messages that Will failed at.  
“Do you want me here for that reason?” He pronounced the last two words like Will had and looked at him curiously. Will felt his face flush, but ignored it, trying to figure out a response. While Hannibal waited, he kept his eyes on Will’s face, much to Will’s discomfort. He ate more ice cream and hummed periodically.  
“I,” The only way Will could think to respond was that he didn’t know. Because he really didn’t. This whole interaction, friendship if it counted, was confusing him. But before he finished, he was cut off by Hannibal.  
“Medical, as I’m sure your friend Jimmy told you. I came here to go into surgery, but I’m thinking about transferring to psychology. Always been more interested in human nature and how we think than how to fix broken organs. The brain is more fun when it’s broken.” His voice trails off a bit when he realizes he’s rambling a bit, but he finishes his thought while looking at Will. It took Will a moment to realize what was happening. Hannibal smiled at him slightly, keeping their eye contact maintained. “I’m from Lithuania. Vilnius to be exact,” Will smiled at the way he mimicked Will’s responses from the night before. “But I spent most of my life in Florence, Italy.” A glaze goes over his eyes when he mentions it as if lost in memories. He probably was. When his eyes refocused, he looked back at Will, making red climb up his neck and checks. It felt hot in the dorm room again, Will looked away and breathed heavily through his nose. Hannibal tilted his head at that.  
“Sorry, it’s just,” Will noticed Hannibal curious gaze and gulped. “hot in here.” It wasn’t really, not for Hannibal at least. But with that comment, Hannibal picked up the ice cream that was already half-eaten, both spoons sticking out of it, and stood. Will looked up at him from his spot on the couch, confused. His eyes followed Hannibal as he picked up his coat, and turned to leave. Silently, Will followed him outside, closing the door quietly so as not to wake Beverly who was still sound asleep. 

They were sitting, leaning against the building, next to each other as snow drifted down. It rarely stopped snowing in January, even though it was mostly light and fluffy. Once Hannibal had put his coat on, and settled next to Will, he started talking again.  
“I used to have a sister when I was young.” The way Hannibal talked made him sound years older than he was, something about it made Will feel more comfortable as he ate his ice cream silently. When he noticed a silence lingering in the air, he looked at Hannibal whose eyes were glazed over again as if remembering someone or something that happened very long ago.  
“Older or younger?” Will asked before thinking, the curiosity in his eyes. His partner’s grey-blonde hair looked white in the moonlight that came through the snow flurries.  
“Younger,” Hannibal’s eyes met Will’s and he smiled softly, lost in thought. “I was always something of a father to her.” His voice was thick with nostalgia, and Will’s stomach fluttered before he could stop it.  
“I’m sorry.” Will didn’t ask what had happened, not wanting to pry into the nice moment. The first time that he felt completely unjudged by the man. The first time he didn’t have an underlying want to punch his pretty teeth out with his stuck-up-ness. Hannibal seemed like a real person, still dressed in his weirdly posh clothing. Still real though.  
“Oh no need to apologize, Will. Those times are long passed.” Still speaking in his own weird way. These simple pieces of personal information made Will feel somewhat special. The cannibal wasn’t so menacing anymore, eating shitty ice cream and talking about his personal life. Hannibal sighed into the evening air, his breath clouding in front of his face with cold. It was a pretty picture to look at. Pretty? Fuck, Will looked away and down at their feet spread out in front of them on the pavement. “23.” His voice shifted from its place of nostalgia to an underlying tone of amusement as Will looked back at him.  
“That’s all the questions.” Will’s mouth is suddenly dry and he feels stupid. Four simple facts about this guy and he’s supposed to believe it’s perfect? That this is it. That maybe this stuck up rich foreign man thought he was special. Of course, Hannibal probably thought the same of Will as everyone else did. He was just leading Will on, just wanting another “victim”. Will squeezed his eyes closed, trying to figure out what was going on in his head.  
“Are you alright, Will?” He didn’t know how to respond. So instead he stood up, wrapping his arms close to his chest, although he wasn’t really cold, and turned to look at Hannibal who was sitting on the ground next to a tube of almost empty ice cream.  
“I’m really tired,” It wasn’t a lie, he was. This whole day had been exhausting. “and it’s getting late.” His gaze avoided meeting Hannibal’s eyes, maybe part of him was worried he’d forget the logic to the situation if he looked at his warm brown eyes. Maybe he’d give in, not thinking about the future of hurt feelings and being used, and he’d tell himself to worry about it later. Future Will would deal with it, and right now Will would give up and kiss this near-stranger. So he looked away as he spoke, hoping if he brushed Hannibal off that he’d leave him alone. Move onto another victim. “I’m going to uh,” He pauses, daring to look at Hannibal. “go to bed. Goodnight Hannibal” His voice comes out tired and fed up and annoyed. Without waiting for a response, Will leaves Hannibal and his ice cream out in the cold and he wanders back inside and up the stairs and into his room. Craving sleep, wishing that Hannibal would leave him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally forgot where Hannibal was DFLKHS so i just edited it to be accurate, please excuse my dumbass


	7. Survive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will gets ready for a party at Alana's. He remembers his therapy session from earlier that week.

It has been a long and boring week. Nothing interesting or of note since the Monday evening Will had abandoned Hannibal out in the cold. He didn’t regret it. But his life seemed extra uneventful. The three strange interactions with the man had been the most interesting part of Will’s year. Now he trudged around, waiting for Alana to invite him to another weekend get together. He tried to ignore the part of him that hoped Hannibal would be there, he definitely ignored Alana’s texts. By the time Saturday rolled around, Will felt exhausted. The kind of tired from doing nothing. He had stayed up the night before watching Netflix and working on school work. Beverly had poked fun at him when she came back at 2 am to find him spending his Friday night doing school. But, of course, it was nothing new. Just part of their routine.   
Now, it was 11 am and Will was staring at the ceiling. He had been awake for an hour, desperately trying to get more sleep but he could never close his eyes. At least his frequent nightmares kept him on a productive sleep schedule, which resulted in constant exhaustion. He ignored it. 

“What scares you most about these dreams?” She refused to call them nightmares. “To validate his experiences” or something. It had been Thursday after class. The usual time. Ever since Will’s behavioral sciences professor, Jack Crawford, had suggested Will should get a therapist at the end of his freshman year. So, he had been stuck with weekly meetings in this strange woman’s house.   
“I feel like it’s a memory.” Will had said absentmindedly, having explained this to Dr. Du Maurier many times before. His mind had been somewhere else, thinking about Alana’s usual gathering this Saturday. Thinking about if Hannibal would be there, holding a martini glass of vodka again. He tried to focus.   
“You seem distracted.” She always looked like she knew something she shouldn’t, although she was a psychiatrist. Maybe there was nothing she shouldn’t know. Will didn’t bother to tell her everything in his life. His professor was only worried about how invested Will got in his work, maybe too invested. That’s what Jack said anyway.   
“Oh, sorry.” Will had said, unsure why he was apologizing. “Just school.” It was, of course, not just school. But he didn’t feel like talking about it. 

The late morning light came through the small window in their dorm room, and Will sighed. He might as well get out of bed and go get lunch. Maybe he would stop over at Alana’s early, help her clean the apartment before it got wrecked again. 

hey can I come over early? - [11:16 pm]

Will always got a rush of anxiety even when texting his friends, the people he knew liked him. So he left his phone on his bed as he dug through his laundry to find something decent to wear. Why did he care what he wore? He never cared before. Avoiding looking in the mirror that Beverly had propped against the wall, Will slipped his shoes on and left to go find lunch. His phone buzzed.

“Did you have friends growing up?” Dr. Du Maurier was a blonde woman in her forties. She always had a glass of wine, which seemed either unprofessional or too adult for Will. But he never minded, it was nice to have a place to rest his eyes as he had avoided her eyes.   
“No.” He had almost laughed, of course, he hadn’t. Dr. Du Maurier had noticed the way he held back laughter when he felt awkward, how he avoided her gaze. They had known each other for over a year now, and yet at their weekly meetings Will never met her gaze for longer than a moment. No more than necessary. He was anxious, that was for sure.   
“Is that why you feel anxious while interacting with new people?” Great psychiatry skills. Will had licked his lips and shrugged, not looking at her. It felt weird to have someone know all his secrets, his problems, he preferred to keep to himself.   
“Probably, Doctor. But I survive.” He always found himself saying that when talking to her about his problems. He survived. Because he led a boring, simple life. He really didn’t mind. 

Yeah, ofc. Can you pick up some snacks on the way over? Thank u xoxo - [11:30 pm] 

Will sighed to himself. He really should do something about this anxiety. But he would survive. He would go to eat lunch alone, thinking about how the evening would go. Obsess over it as he drove to Alana’s. He would survive. He hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this one is so short! I will try to upload another one tonight or tomorrow :)


	8. On the contrary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will talks with Alana after a boring week and has an interesting conversation at a party.

“Oh, thank you!” Alana was looking at Will who stood in her doorway, arms full with two bags of food. She took them from him as she ushered him inside. The apartment was weirdly quiet and un-surprisingly clean. Will sometimes made fun of the look on Alana’s face when everyone had left and her apartment was somewhat wrecked. She rolled her eyes at him whenever he did.   
Alana shared her apartment with two other girls. And although Will didn’t know either of them that well, he didn’t really mind either of them. Margot, Alana’s current girlfriend, was nice. One of the only people Will had attempted to go on a date with, it ended with both of them being drunk and… other things. Will and Margot hadn’t talked about it since. But he liked her and Alana, they had been together for over a year. She was pretty and kind like Alana, although she could come across as mean to others. Will rarely talked to her unless Alana was around. But he liked her, maybe because he felt obligated too, maybe because of her cat Mason.   
“Meow.” He would say angrily to alert Will to his presence. Technically, Alana’s landlord didn’t allow pets. But nevertheless, Mason claimed the apartment as his own. While he was an ugly cat, folded ears, and a flat chubby face, Will liked him. He spent most of his time in Margot’s room, ignoring visitors. The only thing they were useful for was biting and scratching. Will was not immune to his claws, but eventually, the cat would give up and let Will pet him.   
“Where are the other two?” Will asked absentmindedly as he squatted down to pet the cat at his feet. Although he had always been a dog person, he settled for the company of the cat at Alana’s parties. Alana looked over at Will as she unpacked the bags of random snacks. He hadn’t really known what to buy, so he had guessed. She seemed pleased.   
“Oh, Margot had some family thing, and Freddie’s been gone since thing morning. Beats me.” Ah, Freddie. The loudmouth redhead. She was never around during Alana’s get-togethers, and when Will did interact with her, she seemingly had something against him. At first, it made his anxiety grow. But eventually, he got used to it. She tried too hard to be polite, only talked about her journalism classes, and probably believed the moon landing was faked. Alana and Will found her somewhat humorous now and sometimes she was genuinely fun to talk too. Sometimes.   
“Cool,” Will said lamely in response, petting Mason who was now laying on the floor, belly up. It was around 6 pm. Most of the time Will and Alana laid around waiting for people to show up for an hour, making comfortable small talk. She was the only person who could do that with Will.   
“So,” Alana said, making her way over to the floor next to Will and Mason. “How’s your week been?” Will shrugged his response as he tried to avoid getting his arm mauled by the now playful cat. He was still squatting in the middle of her living room, focused on the cat.   
“Meow.” Mason said once more, a little ruder this time as if a warning. Cats had never been Will’s favorite. They slept more than they played, and most of them were assholes. But regardless Will felt more comfortable about animals than people, cats included. He did miss his dogs from growing up, they were really the ones who knew him best. Mason was the only pet any of his friends owned, so he settled for the claws and meows.   
“Oh, sorry,” Will looked up at Alana who was sitting, legs crossed, on the floor in front of him, smiling softly. “Do you want a better response than that?” He asked it because he cared about Alana, but he really didn’t want to go into detail about his boring week. Dr. Du Maurier told him that communication was the key to human connections, so he tried at least. Alana shrugged back, a smile pressed on her lips, gaze on the cat between them.   
“Nah.” She said casually, aware of Will’s dislike for small talk and respecting his avoidance of a response.   
“How has your week been?” It wasn’t hard to talk to her, it didn’t make him feel that awkward or anxious. He genuinely cared about her response. They didn’t make eye contact as she spoke, both looking at the yellow cat who was attempting to bite part of Will’s arm off.   
“Oh, it’s been good.” The cat’s teeth sunk through the fabric of Will’s flannel shirt, close to puncturing his skin. He shook his arm, the cat hanging on.   
“Anything interesting?” Now was the battle to keep his arm intact, and the cat interested. There was a strain in his voice and he ruffled Mason’s head, trying to get him to give up. Alana chuckled slightly, watching Will with kind eyes.   
“Well, Margot took me on a road trip to her family’s farm on Wednesday.” Will looked up to meet Alana’s gaze as Mason clung to his arm, body limp. There was a twinkle of interest in Will’s eyes, a smirk on Alana’s lips.  
“How did that go?” He tilted his head as he talked, looking back at the cat. 

They talked like that for an hour, Alana sharing her adventures in the Verger farm with horses and pigs. Will played with Mason until his arm started to bleed and they had to move their conversation to the bathroom, laughing. It was the best Will had felt all week. Eventually, Margot got home. After that Alana’s friends came in small groups until it was 8 pm and the apartment was packed with people. Will had moved from his bathroom, now with a few bandaids on his exposed forearm. He had obtained a beer and a spot at the end of a couch. The conversations were loud and full of laughter, the lighting was green. It felt comfortable. The soft music, constant noise, it was dull in Will’s ears as he pretended to listen to the conversation between Alana and Margot.   
“Hey, Will.” Alana elbowed him in the ribs, grounding him to reality. “Your man is here.” She gestured to the doorway, where a tall well-dressed man stood. Hannibal.   
“His man?” Margot raised her eyebrows at Will, who had quickly looked away from Hannibal before he was caught staring. He looked down at his beer can, anxiety in his chest. Alana chuckled, untangling herself from Margot so she could pull Will off the couch and drag him after her.   
“Hannibal! I didn’t know you were coming over.” She was cheerful as ever, standing in front of Hannibal with a grin on her face. While Will wore his usual simple clothes, the two people with him were dressed up for seemingly no reason. On occasion, Alana would wear a ridiculous suit and red lipstick. Will didn’t understand why, but she always looked beautiful. Standing next to Hannibal, who was as well-dressed as usual, they looked like they were at some sort of event. Will kept his gaze on the floor, red climbing up his neck.   
“It’s a pleasure to see you, Alana.” Hannibal took her hand and kissed it softly before the two of them started laughing at something Will obviously missed. “Will.” The red crept to his cheeks, and he cleared his throat as Hannibal nodded at him. His voice was cautious, polite.   
“Well, you two have fun.” Alana winked and turned back to join her girlfriend on the couch. Have fun? How would they have fun? Will’s relaxed comfortable energy was gone, and he regretted coming yet again. This always happened. He should learn his lesson.   
“Ah, Margot and Alana.” Hannibal was looking at the two of them tangled on the couch, a pleasant look on his face. “Quite the couple.” They were.   
“Yeah,” Will said awkwardly, still avoiding Hannibal’s gaze. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t happy to see Hannibal here. Part of him had been waiting all week to see the strange man again. But he felt awkward, having abandoned Hannibal in the cold less than a week ago. “Uh, sorry about. Ya know,” Hannibal met his gaze for a second as Will struggled to find his words.   
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” Too polite. Will almost sighed angrily. “On the contrary, I had a lovely evening that night.” Hannibal had started moving towards the kitchen, and Will awkwardly trailed behind him. Lovely?   
“Sure,” Will leaned against the counter, watching Hannibal’s back as he opened the fridge to find a drink. He was wearing something similar to the last time he was at Alana’s. This time his shirt was a deep emerald green as if he knew what lighting Alana’s apartment would be. His pants and matching suit vest were burgundy with gold pinstriped. It shouldn’t have looked good. But it did. Today, he wasn’t wearing jewelry around his neck but Will noticed the rings adorning his fingers as he closed the fridge door, a bottle of red wine in hand.   
“Sure?” Hannibal said absentmindedly as he opened the bottle of cheap wine and poured it into a wine glass he had found in a cabinet. It was weird. Everything he did was weird.   
“Oh,” Wine returned to fridge and Hannibal stood in front of Will, glass in hand, eye’s twinkling with familiar curiosity. “Nothing.” He looked away from the gaze, eyes unfocusing, staring into nothing. Hannibal smiled and sipped his wine. When the silence continued, Will considered leaving him here again. He didn’t like the awkward air between them. Maybe it was all his fault.   
“Have I done something wrong, Will?” No, he hadn’t. Will was just letting his anxiety get the best of him. Or, maybe, the feeling in his gut was warning him. He shook his head lamely, licking his lips. Trying to figure out what to say. “You can tell he is anything I have done has made you uncomfortable.” He was too polite, it had to be fake.   
“Sorry,” Will said. It was out of place, he wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for. Hannibal smiled at Will softly, the curiosity only growing in his eyes. The air between them was uncomfortable and weird.   
“You’ve done nothing to apologize for, Will. I feel as though maybe it is I who should be apologizing to you…” His voice trailed off a bit as Will saw his eyes flicker to where Alana was sitting on the couch. She was watching them probably, Will looked at the floor embarrassed.   
“Apologize for what? You haven’t,” He paused as he spoke, trying to figure out what to say. Hannibal hadn’t what? Made him uncomfortable? Confused Will?   
“I feel as though you might have made your assumptions about me, Will. And I’m sorry if any of my actions worsened them. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable or uneasy.” There was a seemingly genuine tone to his voice as he spoke. His eyes resting on Will as he looked at the floor.   
“You really don’t have to apologize.” He meant it, maybe because the apology made Will feel guilty. For what he didn’t know. “I’m just not,” Will’s voice caught in his throat. He couldn’t say it. Not only because he had no proof that Hannibal was interested in him in some non-platonic way, but also because Will would be lying. If he said he had no interest in men, then he would ruin any chance at acting on the weird fluttering feeling in his stomach. And although no part of him wanted to admit that he did want to act on it, he also didn’t want to deny it. It made him feel like a liar, and he hated lying. “It’s just,” He tried again, still unsure where he was going. Hannibal’s head tilted in interest, sipping his shitty wine. His face flustered with frustration, he hated explaining himself.   
“Yes?” Hannibal asked, trying to help Will speak. Luckily for Will, who was about to sigh loudly at himself, someone walked into the kitchen. Of course, Hannibal politely greeted them and made small talk as they got a drink from the fridge which Hannibal had been standing in front of. Will didn’t listen to them talk, focused on how Hannibal had moved next to him as they conversed. The kitchen was small, and Will noticed how Hannibal leaned on the counter next to him. Once they were alone again, Will’s gaze still on the ground, he felt Hannibal turn his head. Hot breath down his neck again, face still red.   
“Want to talk somewhere more private?” 

So there they were. Will awkwardly sitting on the edge of the small bathtub, looking at the beer can he was still holding. How did he end up here? Hannibal was leaning against the sink, holding his wine glass, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. He was contently looking at the awkward Will who was avoiding eye contact.   
“Here,” Hannibal said, breaking the tension in the air. He set his wine glass down on the sink and sat down in front of Will on the tile floor. It forced Will to look at him if his gaze were still in front of him, Will just turned his gaze upward and away. “I have an idea.”   
“Yes?” Will mumbled a bit upset, unsure why he was here. This isn’t how his evening was supposed to go, and he would rather be anywhere else. Although his face was still red, and his stomach still fluttered whenever he glanced over at Hannibal who was sitting, legs crossed, on the bathroom floor. It was a funny sight.   
“In here,” Hannibal gestured to the small bathroom which they were in. “we will be honest with each other. Asking each other questions. Does that sound alright, Will?” He shrugged in response, still looking away from Hannibal. Unsure of his motive. It seemed like a lot of work if he was just trying to sleep with him. “Friendships are built off trust, and I clearly did something to sway your trust in me. Have I not, Will?” His voice was gentle, his accent calm and inviting. Will looked at him for a second, seeing the kind look in his warm brown eyes. Hannibal took that as some type of response, straightening his back and clearing his throat. “Okay, I’ll start.” There was anxiety building in Will’s chest, uncomfortable with how close they were in this small room. “What can I do to make you feel more comfortable?” The question caught Will off-guard, his gaze darting back to Hannibal’s.   
“Uh,” He adjusted his glasses awkwardly. “I don’t know.” Honestly, he didn’t. He didn’t know why Hannibal made him uncomfortable, and he never knew how to stop his anxiety. Hannibal nodded calmly.   
“Your turn.” Will gulped and thought for a moment, his hands slightly shaking. He hated the way Hannibal’s attention was solely on him.   
“Why me?” It was a weird question, and Will almost regretted asking it but as it sat in the air for a moment he realized he did want to know. He was an awkward nerd who never attempted to make polite small talk, let alone engage in whatever lifestyle Hannibal was living. Hannibal was quiet for a minute, his gaze resting softly on Will. Before Will started to explain himself, Hannibal spoke.   
“Honestly, I thought you were,” He pauses as he speaks, thinking. “cute.” It was weird to hear Hannibal use such normal words, it seems out of character for the strange man. “And Alana told me you didn’t have many friends.” Will was looking at Hannibal. “And not, because I pitied you. But because you interested me, and you still do. I find your awkward eye contact and the way you smile, to be charming.” The red on Will’s cheeks got darker, but he didn’t avoid Hannibal’s gaze. It sounded honest, they were being honest, weren’t they?  
“You said I could be your next victim if I wanted.” He doesn’t know why he says it, but it comes out before he could stop himself. Hannibal tilts his head again.   
“Yes,” A smirk on his lips. Will looked away feeling embarrassed. “Do you want to be?” He was so cocky without trying to be. Or maybe he was trying. Will didn’t like that he thought for a moment before responding.   
“No.” His hands shaking as he held his beer. Hannibal’s gaze seemed to soften for just a moment before he stood up. Will watched as he lightly picked up his wine glass and looked back down at Will.  
“Okay.” There was a faint smile on his lips, although Will didn’t know why. Weird. He was always so weird. And then, just like that, he was gone. Leaving Will alone on the side of the bathtub, confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the little bit of a wait! This one is longer to make up for the last chapter, I hope you enjoy it!


	9. He's Stupid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will finds himself in a strange place at 1 am, talking to himself about his feelings towards Hannibal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I haven't proof read this yet (I'll edit in the morning) so if you're reading this, excuse any typos! I hope you enjoy it though, I like how this chapter turned out.

The evening had been long. Will had found his way out of the bathroom and back to his spot on the end of a couch, half-listening to Alana and Margot, mainly eyeing Hannibal from across the room. He was of course, unaffected by the events in the bathroom, whatever those events had been or meant, and was casually talking to others. Smiling, winking, kissing hands and cheeks politely, making whoever he was with turn slightly red. Charming. Alana would notice Will’s gaze and laugh but never say anything. It shouldn’t have made Will feel the way he felt when he watched Hannibal flirt and smile at others. That twinkle in his eyes as he ignored Will across the room. Will had said no to him, but he still felt… He didn’t want to admit the feeling in his chest, so instead, he tried to distract himself with the conversation around him. Eyes still darting to see if Hannibal was still there, still talking, still not looking over at Will.  
“Hey, heart-eyes,” Will looks at Margot, snapping out of his distracted state. She smirks at him, her green eyes laced with interest. It takes him a moment to respond, face warm and his gaze avoiding hers. She was sitting in Alana’s lap, her hair down and curling beautifully.  
“Uh, what?” For a moment, he felt overwhelmed. With Margot looking at him, with the noisy apartment, and the bodies close to his on the couch. He took a deep breath in, closed his eyes. It was 9:35 pm. It was a Saturday. He was in Baltimore, Maryland. Inside Alana Bloom’s apartment. His name was Will Graham. He was tired.  
“What’s his deal?” She leaned her head to gesture to Hannibal, who hadn’t moved from where he was the last time Will had checked. What was his deal? Hell if Will knew. The question made Alana break out with laughter, all three of them looking at Hannibal in his burgundy suit, a grin on his face as he talked.  
“Uh,” Will didn’t know what to say, his gaze lingering on Hannibal and not Margot as he started to speak. Finally, someone else who didn’t know Hannibal. Alana was still laughing.  
“Babe, that’s Hannibal.” He was standing politely, hands moving slightly as he spoke, the person with him smiling and blushing at, what Will was sure, was his polite behavior and slight flirtations. He really hadn’t cared about Will in specific, and the strange jealously in his chest made him look away and back at Alana and Margot.  
“Oh fuck,” Margot was looking at Alana with a look in her eyes that Will read as slight jealousy. “The Hannibal?” Why did Margot now recognize Hannibal? Will noticed a strange tension in the air as Alana blushed slightly. What was happening?  
“Yeah, there’s really only one Hannibal around.” It came out awkwardly, and Will was looking between the two women. There was only one Hannibal. Hard to copy or confuse with his accent and his manners.  
“Did I miss something?” Will tried for it to sound joking, but it sounded more nosy than anything else. The energy that had changed between them was uncomfortable, and Will wished nothing more than to go home. Alana’s face was red, matching her lipstick, and her gaze was on her hand, which was holding Margot’s, not looking at either of them. Margot smiled at Will.  
“The Hannibal she hooked up with over spring break last year.” There was a mischievous tone in her face as she looked at Alana, chuckling slightly. Alana coughed and smiled, looking up at Will.  
“I was drunk.” Who hadn’t Hannibal gotten in bed with? It made Will’s chest twist with different emotions. The jealousy was more confusing than the annoyance and dislike for Hannibal. Maybe he was glad he said no.  
“Oh, that’s what they all say.” Margot’s lips were pursed in a smile, annoyed. They rarely bickered, but when they did Will normally sat in the corner pretending he wasn’t there. Alana scoffed a bit and looked at Margot, annoyance in her eyes too but Will could also see the undertones of compassion and joking in her gaze. She couldn’t handle being annoyed or upset for very long.  
“I’m not the only one who’s made questionable choices when we were seeing others.” She made air quotes with her free hand, letting it rest back down on Margot’s waist in some sign of affection. “No offense, Will.” The red flushed Will’s face harder now, looking away from the two of them.  
“Okay, now that was uncalled for.” Margot squeezed Alana’s hand, slightly nodding to Will who was still blushing and looking at the floor. They had never joked about it before, swore to a mutual agreement of silence. “Anyways,” She continued casually, “has Hannibal asked you out yet or what?” Will met her gaze as she spoke, his face not getting any less red. He really didn’t like how this evening was going.  
“Uh,” Will didn’t even know where to begin. Had Hannibal ever really asked him out? In the weirdest possible way, yes. But he didn’t really want to explain it all, not when his eyes were looking back at Hannibal who was two seconds away from kissing some stranger. There was the jealousy in Will’s chest again, making him look away and back at Margot.  
“Don’t tell me you already banged and now you’re getting jealous, man you really are a loser.” Alana almost shoved Margot in the side for the comment, although she often called Will a loser too. That made Will’s face grow warmer and he took a sip of the beer he had forgotten he was holding. How could he get out of the interaction and sneak home?  
“No, I haven’t! I just,” His defensive statement made Margot laugh, and his voice trailed off unsure how to clarify the situation. “It’s nothing.” He lamely finished, looking away from Alana and Margot’s grins.  
“Look he’s hot, I get it.” Great, he was going to get some lecture from Margot now too, he almost zoned out to ignore her but the way Alana’s gaze snapped to Margot when she spoke made Will almost crack up. “But,” She elbowed her girlfriend in the side slightly and smiled at Will. “you simply cannot keep him, Will. He’s not boyfriend material.” All three of them looked back to where Hannibal had been, only to find the space empty of Hannibal. Confusion passed over Will’s face before Margot sighed. “Point and case, the cannibal has obtained yet another victim.” And there was the jealousy again. Really? Not even an hour ago Hannibal had been sitting in the bathroom with Willand now he had disappeared with some stranger. Will couldn’t figure out why he even cared at this point. Shouldn’t have been a surprise.  
“Idiot,” Alana muttered, hand moving from its grasp on Margot’s to comfortingly pat Will’s thigh. He shook his head at her, trying to cover the disappointment in his chest. He was the one to say no though. It was his fault. Not that he cared, of course. It meant nothing to him…  
“Wait, also,” Margot started before Alana could stop her. “since when has Will been into guys?” Their laughter made Will smile slightly, trying to avoid an answer.  
“Someone must’ve turned his off of girls.” Alana said jokingly, planting a kiss on her girlfriend’s lips lovingly. The awkward air was gone, and Will let himself zone out, not focusing on the conversations around him. Lost in thought. 

The rest of the night had been similar, eventually, he had excused himself, making up some excuse about having to get up in the morning. Now he found himself wandering around in the late evening air, silence his only friend. He was tired, but he found himself not wanting to go back to his room and his bed. He dreaded sleep, the nightmares having been worse this week. So he instead wandered around the campus, snow stopping and leaving the cold night empty. It felt nice to not trying hard to think, just letting the emptiness of the air fill his brain leaving fuzzy tiredness in his bones. It was close to midnight, he assumed, the moon coating the snow in light. He tried to think about the events of the day without letting anxiety grow in his chest. It was increasingly hard. The interaction with Hannibal leaving his skin crawling. It had been less than a week since they had first interacted and yet Will felt like he had been led on for ages. His body was drained from the confusing actions of Hannibal and the feelings inside his chest.  
“Why me?” He muttered into the air around him, pausing afterward to look around. Talking to himself now? Really? He sighed and watched his breath turn into mist in front of him. The evening was cold, freezing breezes leaving goosebumps on Will’s exposed neck and down his back. There was some relief in being alone, just him and the winter weather at, fuck what time was it? Will tugged the phone out of his pocket and glanced at the time. 12:03 am. Time really flew when you are stuck on a couch with friends of friends. Thinking about some strange man who was slithered into your skin and haunted you at night. Will sighed again, wanting to release the feelings that were crowding his chest. They didn’t escape into the black sky or the chilly air. Feelings wound tightly around his brain and settled in, not going anywhere. Will shoved his hands into his pockets to push away the cold and continued his thoughtless walk. Aching bones, tired shoulders, brain full.  
Before he knew it, Will had found himself standing outside the student counseling center. The building dark, it was weird to be here past sundown. Normally he was here in the mornings or afternoons, a weekday, dreading his session. But there was some relief to see the building empty and dark as if all the secrets shared inside where safe. Something took over his tired body, and he thoughtlessly opened the door before realizing it was probably closed. But the door opened anyways, letting his body stumbled forward and into the empty lobby. He must be dreaming.  
The building was boring, lobby full with some chairs and coffee tables. Nothing special or different from the other parts of the campus, except for the counseling center desk. Will’s eyes scanned the lobby, the closed doors to the rooms. It felt cold inside, clean, and sterile. As if it was almost medical. But no blood was drawn or lost, just dark secrets and nightmares being described as an average story. As he looked around, realizing he had no idea what he was doing here, he noticed the door to Dr. Du Muarier’s room open. Mindlessly he wandered over and peered inside. It looked how it always looked, expect dark and the doctor was not inside. Something of relief filled his body as he stepped foot inside the empty room.  
The room was simple. A chair where Dr. Du Muarier would be sitting, legs crossed, lips pursed politely. A couch across from it, pillows decoratively sat. A rug on the floor, a tall lamp in place of the artificial lighting inside the lobby. Dr. Du Muarier always kept it dim, as if she knew Will liked it. He had never mentioned it to her before. Now, of course, the room was completely dark. He noticed the bookshelf politely sat against a wall, not taking time to notice the books that sat within. It was nice. It was calm. It was probably the first time Will didn’t feel anxious or awkward inside the room. Which was strange considering it was almost 1 am and he had somehow stunk inside the closed building past hours. He most definitely was dreaming. That made his body tense, knowing how his dreams usually ended. Taking a turn for the worst when he was finally comfortable. But, for some unknown reason, he let go of those feelings and took a deep breath in. Letting the weird comfort of the room settle underneath his skin. Alongside all the other less comfortable feelings.  
Maybe therapy could work. Of course, it only seemed to help him when the psychiatrist was out. This was stupid, he should leave. Yet he found himself sitting on the couch, trying not to disturb the clean peace and quiet of the room.  
“Uh, okay.” He said into the air after his tired body relaxed into the cushions. The air greeted his voice with welcome silence. It was nice not to be talked to. To be alone. “So, where should I start?” The tiredness in his bones was obviously in his buzzing brain. His buzzing brain that was still thinking about Hannibal Lecter. “God,” He muttered to himself and the empty room around him. His voice hushed, still worried someone might hear him. Still a layer of anxiety resting in his calm body. Inescapable. “I obviously have a problem.” He did have a problem, one that led him to his therapist’s office at the early hours of the morning to complain to no one about his feelings. What was he supposed to say? Anything and everything is was Dr. Du Maurier said. Anything and everything. “He’s stupid.” Was the first thing that came out of Will’s mouth as soon as he let himself actually think about Hannibal. “He’s weird and condescending, and shallow, and slutty, and, and,” Will found himself still unable to talk, stuttering and mumbling even when he was alone with only his thoughts. “and he’s handsome. Which makes everything worse. I haven’t even had a moment to figure out how I feel, if I feel anything! Because he’s busy following me to classes and politely walking, eating ice cream in my dorm room, sending mixed signals? He just smiles and nods and respects every word I say even though,” Will couldn’t think straight. His mind running faster than his tired body wanted or could handle. So he stopped and breathed. “It’s way too early, on Sunday morning. I’m in my psychiatrist’s office, in Baltimore, Maryland. My name is Will Graham.” He said each word slowly, trying to calm down his brain. As soon as he said it, it hit him that this definitely wasn’t a dream. He was here, and it was definitely weird. But he shoved those thoughts aside and began to speak again. “Why am I upset?” He asked the air, letting it linger as he thought about the answer. “Because I thought he liked me? Or, or maybe wanted me is better. I thought I was special. Because he ate breakfast with me, and. I don’t know, I thought maybe. For some reason, he might have viewed me as more than a,” He sighed as he spoke, “victim.” Of course, he assumed he was more than he was worth. “But then, I was the one who said no. So that means I want something more than, a useless one nightstand. And it’s scary to think that this guy, who I barely know, that I-” Part of him wanted to stand up and not admit what he was about to admit. But this room held plenty of other secrets so, here goes nothing. “I want to uh,” He felt stupid saying it. Like a teenager with a crush. “trust him.” And that was the part that surprised him. He hadn’t thought about saying it before he did. His brain making the choice to say something he hadn’t really realized. He wanted to trust this stranger. Since the moment Hannibal had talked to him at the party, he had felt some type of safety with this stuck-up man. Trusted him with answers and walks in the snow and the closeness of his dorm room couch. It was stupid. “But he doesn’t care,” Will said somewhat forcefully to himself as he pushed himself off the couch, standing in the middle of the darkened room. Empty. “He doesn’t care about me more than anyone else.” Even though Hannibal had trusted Will with his responses, even though he had ruined his own game of mystery. Will shook his head, no. No. “No. You aren’t special.” He said it decidedly. Making some agreement with himself that his weird week was finally over. That once he left this room, it would be done. He would move on from whatever silent fling he had, and go back to the usual dullness of his life. He wasn’t special.  
“Will?” The voice startled him, his head snapping towards to open door. His whole body went red as he saw Dr. Du Muarier standing in the door. Although it was dark, he could see that she looked as always. Bright blonde hair, a simple dress but now it was covered with a coat. Her hands full. Confusion on her face as she looked at the awkward college student in front of her. Will looked at the floor, now aware of his hands, and having no clue what to do with them like normal. He tried to fake a laugh and a smile, glancing up at Dr. Du Muarier.  
“Hey, what are you doing here?” Of course, as soon as he said it, he realized the same thing could be said for him. Standing here, in the middle of the night. He avoided her gaze, although it wasn’t menacing or judging.  
“I came by to grab some books I left here by accident. You?” She gestured for him to join her outside the room, and he awkwardly met her at the doorway. Dr. Du Muarier closed and locked her door, smiling as she looked back at Will.  
“Oh, uh.” He said into the awkward air, trailing behind the woman as she nodded towards the door and started walking. “Ya know…” There was nothing in his head, just the buzzing, faint thoughts of Hannibal that he didn’t focus on. Everything relating to him was left in the now locked room.  
“Yes, of course. I understand sneaking into buildings at one in the morning.” She held the door open for Will with her foot, arms still full with the books. Will felt awkward stepping into the cold air, not offering to help her.  
“Sorry,” He cleared his throat and looked at his feet. The cold air setting into his skin. It today hadn’t been long enough, he definitely did not want to be talking to his psychiatrist after hours. He wanted to be asleep more than anything.  
“I’m sure you’ll explain everything in our next session.” There’s was humor behind her voice that Will had never heard before. He looked up from his feet to meet her gaze. “Good evening, Will.” Even though it was one am. And then she turns and walks away as if this wasn’t out of the ordinary. He didn’t say anything in return, letting the silence stick to his skin. Grateful to be alone again. Sighing into the air. Maybe tonight he could go to bed peacefully. No nightmares. Just peace and quiet. No thoughts of strangers who made his stomach flutter. Because he was past that. Everything would go back to normal. No more Hannibal. No more awkward interactions and jokes pasting between his friends. Just the simple way it had always been before last Sunday night.


	10. We're Making Hannibal Lecter Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beverly makes Will talk to her about his feelings for Hannibal after a month of awkward silence. He gives in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not beta read this so excuse that. Sorry for the wait, a few days with a bit of writers' block, but I'm back! This one is a bit shorter, but the next one is gonna be fun ;) Thanks for reading!

“Will?” Beverly’s voice snapped Will out of his trace. The look in her eyes was slight confusion, but not worried. She had gotten used to this at some point. Will faked a smile and looked at what was around him. Had he been zoned out for minutes or hours? What were they doing? They were sitting on Beverly’s bed, backs against the wall, laptop on Beverly’s lap. Oh, right. It came back to him in a flash, and he hoped that this was the first time she had said his name to get his attention. His brain felt like jelly.   
“Sorry,” He coughed to clear his throat, awkwardness cramming his body. His brain was jelly, and his muscles were sore. From what? He couldn’t tell. Beverly’s gaze stayed on Will, questioning. Avoiding her eyes, his eyes settled on the laptop where his homework essay sat open. They had been talking bout school, but suddenly it felt like that conversation had been hours ago.   
“Are you okay?” Beverly rarely asked that, because she knew that Will never knew how to respond. It had been a weird month, he couldn’t blame her for asking. Although most of the time Will was silent, out of sight and out of mind. The third wheel in every situation, he had been even more so this month. It had been almost a month and a half since his last encounter with Hannibal. Not that he was counting. Not that he hadn’t seen him at Alana’s parties, or around. Apparently, when you’re trying to avoid someone, they suddenly show up everywhere. Will had avoided him, pretended it was all good. That he had forgotten about it. He hadn’t.   
“Oh yeah.” It was a clear lie, but a usual response. It was fine. Really. Her eyes had doubt in them, it made Will uncomfortable. Before he could protest, the laptop had been closed, and she turned to face him on her bed.   
"What's up?" But before he could get any words out to avoid this conversation she continued. "You're not over Hannibal?" There was a smirk on her lips, a joking tone in her voice, and the spark behind her eyes. It wasn't serious, but the gut reaction that clearly showed on Will's face made her eyes spark up even more. "No, Will. I was joking." He gulped and looked at his hands.   
"It's nothing, seriously." He squeaked out, trying very hard to find an excuse to leave his dorm room at 4 in the afternoon. Nothing came to mind, he was supposed to be working on homework with Beverly. That clearly wasn't the plan anymore.   
"Spill." She sat back, crossing her arms, getting ready for something that Will desperately didn't wanna talk about. But he knew she would pry it out somehow, so he let out a tired sigh.   
"I don't know what there is to spill." It was true. Whenever he thought about the other man, he pushed it down. Out of sight, out of mind. No fancy suits or well-groomed hair. Those maroon eyes were simply something that tempted him before he drifted off to sleep. Not that he would admit that. The feeling of hot breath down his neck, lips pressed close to his ear. Those just settled into the back of his head and the bottom of his stomach. A lingering crush that made his cheeks burn and his hands shake more so than usual.   
"You have a crush, buddy." Fuck, he realized his face was hot and he sighed again, trying to get the feeling out of his stomach. Beverly tilted her head slightly. "Okay, here. I almost slept with him, so yes I get it. He's hot and weirdly polite. He checks all the boxes. Expect commitment. But dude, once I realized that I got over him. Easy. He's kind of an asshole and sleeps around. Easy for me to get over. Not saying I still don't get all weird and," she gestures to that way Will is acting. "when he's around. Every girl does." Will rolled his eyes slightly, trying to get more comfortable but failing. "So here's what we're gonna do, okay? You're gonna explain to me how you feel. Go full "teenage girl" on me, ramble, smile, it's cute when you do it, and then you're either gonna get those feelings out and get over yourself, or you're gonna text him. Or just sit there and I'll laugh at you, whatever you want. You just need to get it out of your system." After she was done, she took a deep breath in from talking so fast and smiled at Will. Gesturing to him to start talking and waited. They rarely talked about anything aside from school when they were alone. Will kept to himself and his therapy sessions, Beverly kept to herself and her friends. He never talked about this stuff, this weird emotions shit. But he guessed it couldn't hurt.   
"Ugh, fine." Something in his body calmed down, he stopped shaking so hard, and his face didn't feel like it was burning. He closed his eyes, sighed, and let the feelings in his stomach submerge. "I don't know. He is... hot and weirdly polite and nice. And he, followed me around and texted me and ate ice cream in our dorm room late at night without a reason too." Beverly's eyes clouded with confused interest, Will laughed a bit. "It's a long story. I guess, I thought he thought I was special. But then my anxiety made me... reject him. And push him out. Even though he told me stuff about him. I just didn't want to get hurt, so I told him no. And then he got up and left and found someone else." That made Beverly laugh, which made Will confused. His brows furrowing, his eyes asked her to explain.  
"He wanted you to be jealous, idiot." She said is lovingly but firmly. He did it on purpose? No, he just didn't care. That feeling of jealousy grew in Will's stomach and he tried to shove it down. "Even if he's a shallow asshole, he still wanted to at least hook up with you. I don't think he's ever heard no before, he definitely wanted to get under your skin. Sorry." With that, she got up to get a drink from the fridge. Was that it?   
"So?" He said lamely hoping for advice. God, he really was useless without the help of his friends. She turned back to look at him, some sparkling water in hand. The silence was killing him "Do I get over it, or text him? Are you gonna laugh or?" Beverly smiled as she took a sip and found her spot back on the bed.   
"That barely counted as rambling about him, here no more Beverly Advice, ramble. Why do you think he's cute? Where would you go on a date? I said ramble and blush and shit." Will looked at her confused. "You really don't do this huh? Go, I'm shutting up." That was met with another exasperated sigh and he felt the butterflies in his stomach. Head spinning with all the thoughts and emotions and opinions. Everything his friends had ever said, the boring month he was lived since their last interaction.   
"His eyes are like brown and maroon and they're so deep and dark, it's so easy to get lost in." Wow, he was really this nerdy? He always felt lost inside his nightmares and dreams and here he was explaining some guy's eyes. "And, uh. When he laughs, it's soft and caring and makes me feel warm. God, that's gross." They both started laughing at that, Beverly's eyes still full of interest. For someone who hated being the center of attention, Will didn't mind this. It was casual, normal. It felt like high school. "Uh. He's tall, like not that much taller than me but... I don't know, he just. Looms? And it makes me feel..." His voice trailed off and he awkwardly looked at Beverly who was about to laugh again.  
"Weirdly turned on, I know." That sent them back to laughing, smiling like no one was looking. Just the two of them, it was comfortable. A feeling Will hadn't felt in a while.   
"Yeah," He dragged it out before continuing. "And when he talks, he sounds so stupid and posh and it makes me so confused but I can't stop paying attention. I'm pretty sure I'd listen to whatever he said no matter how stupid he made it sound." Had it really been so long since they were sitting in the dining hall together? Hannibal had probably forgotten about Will. He hoped not, but he wasn't one for wishful thinking. "And when I'm at Alana's and he's there, god. I just end up staring at him, even though I try not too. It's stupid, but when I'm not looking at him sometimes I feel like he's looking at me."   
"It's hard not too." Beverly laughed, actually listening to his rambles. For another moment it felt good, warm, friendly. And then suddenly Will felt so stupid. For feeling all this towards someone so shallow. Hannibal didn't care. It had been over and month and he was still thinking about it. Like a loser.   
"Anyways," He awkwardly got out of bed and stood in the middle of his dorm room realizing he has no idea what to do. Beverly sat up, pulling on Will's arm to make him look at her.   
"Okay, we're going to Alana's tomorrow." It was a weird statement from Beverly's mouth. She rarely joined them, not because she didn't like parties or Alana. But one too many lesbians had hit on her and she chose to go elsewhere. Will looked at her confused. What was she up too? "And we're making Hannibal Lecter jealous." They were what?


	11. Blackouts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beverly's plan to make Hannibal jealous goes better than expected. Although Will can't seem to stop mentally blacking out... Hannibal finds a way to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! A longer chapter, I had a lot of fun with this one so I hope you enjoy ;)

"Okay, here's the plan." Beverly was standing in front of the door to Alana's apartment building, her newly dyed hair seemingly glowing in the night air. It was the brightest pink Will had ever seen and matched whatever glitter was smeared on her arms and face. It had taken Beverly, joined with Alana and Margot, about fifteen minutes to meet him outside. Will had been waiting there, unsure why Beverly had insisted on discussing their "plan" in the cold February air. He desperately wanted to go home- the usual weekend feelings he felt around his only friends. This night, however, clearly had more in store than usual. At least, he knew Beverly would make sure of it.  
Beverly was half-dressed, her jacket clearly forgotten upstairs. Fresh pink hair, body glitter that Will was sure was Alana's idea and a look in her eyes like she was on a mission. Next to her were Alana and Margot. Although Beverly was seemingly unaffected by the cold February air, Alana was wrapped in Margot's arms. Alana's attention was on Beverly, invested in what she was saying. While they rarely hung out, Alana and Beverly had always gotten along. Being Will's few friends, they bonded over his weird quirks. Margot was the newest addition to the group and was giving the three of her friend's a weird look as they stood in the cold. Alana was similarly covered in glitter, sparkling in the moonlight, colorful lipstick and a simple wrap dress that was not weather appropriate. As Will took note of Margot's messy bun and shiny pants, he realized that he had not been listening to Beverly.   
"-and then we can know if Hannibal still wants some of that." Beverly was gesturing to Will, who had been forced into wearing contacts and pants that were a bit too tight for comfort. Even though Beverly had let him finish his homework, and left without him, she had hyped him up and told him what to wear. It felt foreign and extremely stupid.   
"Sorry, what?" The three women turned their attention to Will, who was slightly blushing and standing awkwardly, his hands in his pockets. Beverly's hands were still gesturing to Will, she was clearly a tad tipsy, but what had he expected. Alana laughed a bit, Margot's lips were pursed, and Beverly let out an exasperated sigh.   
"Did you hear any of that?" This evening was a horrible idea, he couldn't even stay focused. His mind was wandering to one of his recent nightmares that had stuck under his skin, and the fact he had agreed to any of this. Will shook his head as he looked at his feet, snow sprinkling around them. "Okay, so-" But before Beverly could retell her obviously well-thought-out "make Hannibal jealous" plan, Margot cut in.  
"I'm not gonna comment on the fact that we are all grown adults, and this whole idea is bonkers as shit if you think it will work. But what I will say is: Will can barely pay attention to any conversation unless someone mentions school or local crime. So, Beverly is already drunk, she will flirt with you regardless of the plan or not. Will, you, blush like crazy, it's an actual problem if you ask me, so easy. We will release you into the wild, me and Alana will continue to get drunk, waste the time we could be doing productive adult things by talking to the weird people who invite themselves into our home, and if Hannibal does or says anything Will related, then we'll know." They were all looking at Margot a bit dumbfounded. "What?" Alana was snickering to herself, and Will felt his face grow red. They all stood there for a second. Margot smiled and grabbed Alana's hand, leading them inside. "Okay, go make some asshole jealous." 

Will found himself standing in his normal spot against the wall, Beverly joining him this time. It was warm and crowded inside, it felt busier than usual. He sighed into the sticky air, trying his hardest not to search the room for Hannibal's gray-blonde hair and constant smirk. For some odd reason though, he didn't completely hate being here. Maybe he was just at the point in the school year when he accepted his regular weekend plan, or he was too tired to care. Or he might even enjoy the way he felt somewhat dressed up and wanted to make Hannibal jealous. Which was weird, he hated that feeling deep in his own stomach when he saw the man flirting with others. And yet, he wanted to be the one to inflict that. He was definitely too tired to care. That was all.   
"Do you want a beer?" Beverly pulled him from his Hannibal-related thoughts, her eyes shining excitedly. Although she was seemingly cool and put-together for the most part, it was the rare times like these that she showed her lamer side. It made Will smile, enjoying seeing her let go of her cool persona and getting way too drunk for the setting.   
"Uh, sure." She disappeared from his side to the kitchen, leaving Will alone to his thoughts. No matter how hard he tried, his eyes followed her until she squeezed past Hannibal into the kitchen. There he was. Standing, casually, drink in hand and grin wide. Although he wanted to admire the way he casually chuckled, the way he remained unwrinkled, untouchable, Will forced himself to look away and back at the blur of the room around him. Most of the time, it was blurry and loud and Will couldn't focus. Either in class or at Alana's place. His mind was cloudy, barely remembering the events from the week aside from whatever nightmare haunted him. Oh great, now he was thinking about therapy and his nightmares while surrounded by drunk classmates having way too much fun for being legal adults. He tried very hard for the dark thoughts not to overwhelm him, but apparently that meant looking back at Hannibal. Had he felt the eyes of the nicely dressed man resting on him? Or was it the creature that haunted his brain when he slept? A relieved sigh left his lungs when he met eyes with the man. Hannibal's brown-maroon eyes gave him one last look, up and down, admiring, before he focused back on the people around him. Fuck. He really didn't have to look so perfect while surrounded by half-naked drunk idiots. What time was it? As Will's gaze left Hannibal again he took a deep breath in, checking his phone. It was 11:45 pm. It was a Saturday night in February. He was in Alana's apartment, in Baltimore, Maryland. His name was Will Graham. And that stupid cream suit was still in the corner of his mind, a plaid pattern. It was so ugly, and yet it made Will, undeniably, even more attracted to him. The fog of his brain made it feel like he was already wasted. Not that he had ever gotten wasted at any college party, at least not since he was a freshman. Where was Beverly? He felt awkwardly alone and desperate for someone to talk too. For the first time ever, Will wanted nothing more than some meaningless conversation to ground him to reality. That was the last thought that ran through Will's head before his memory cut out. 

"Will?" The voice was rough and somewhat quiet, Will jolted awake, although he wasn’t completely sure he had been asleep. It was dark, aside from the warm light pouring from the open door. A shadow on the tile of the bathroom floor, making Will's breath come quick with anxiety. This was a nightmare, he was sure. When he looked up he would be met with the shadowy figure, horns sprouting from its head. But instead, he's met with a worried, and handsome face.   
"Sorry," Although he's not sure why he's apologizing. It takes him a moment to fully come back, his brain buzzing. Hannibal, and his cream plaid suit, turn the light on, helping Will figure out what was going on. That's when Will felt the weight on his chest, realizing that he was in fact laying in Alana's bathtub with a passed out Beverly on top of him. His whole body went red, his brain still confused. What had happened between Beverly getting them drinks and this?   
"Would you like some help?" They both heard Beverly groan slightly at their voices, her eyes fluttering open for just a moment. He didn't feel drunk, although he was sure Beverly was. Just the usual buzzing in his brain, confusion clouding his vision. Hannibal obviously saw the look in Will's eyes and offered his hand to help Will out on the bathtub. A few stumbles, some almost falls, and one of his hands ending up tightly held in Hannibal's, the three of them stood. Beverly, more awake, leaning on Will, who was awkwardly standing, grasp still tight on Hannibal's broad hand. It was surprisingly soft and, although it could envelop Will's hand completely, it seemed delicate. Upon realizing that he was staring at their hands, he took his hand away.   
"Thanks," His voice hurt, his lips felt chapped. What was going on? Maybe this was still a dream, a more pleasant one than the past few. But the familiar look in Hannibal's eyes, the feeling of Beverly's body leaning on his, it didn't seem fake.   
"Hey guys," The silent air was broken by Beverly's way-too-loud voice, both men looking at her. She looked from one to the other, confused. "What's happening?" Hannibal's lips curved into a smirk, reaching a caring hand out to cup her cheek. Running his thumb gently across her glitter-covered skin.   
"Let's get you two to the car." He said it as a fact, nodding his head towards the open door. Will's brain was too loud to stop himself from following Hannibal's gesture and helping the groggy Beverly out and into the now-empty apartment. It was messy, only a few lights were on. Mason sat on the counter as if greeting the odd group. He meowed a hello, Hannibal softly pet his head as he walked casually past. It felt way too late as Will squeezed his eyes closed for a moment, still trying to get any memories from the evening. How had he ended up asleep in Alana's bathroom? This wasn't how he imagined the evening going.   
"Hey, y'all heading out?" It was somewhat funny, considering they were the only ones left. The voice was from Margot, who was sitting on the couch, hands running through Alana's hair, whose head was resting in her girlfriend's lap. She was smiling, no confusion in her gaze. Will hardly stayed past midnight, always making his excuses. The statement from Margot made him laugh. It was weird, he felt a bit too loose, his brain buzzing louder. Maybe he was drunk. Margot gave him a weird look, smile still on her lips. 

"Will?" What was going on? Hannibal's brows furrowed with concern. It was cold, and Will's eyes darted around. They were standing by a car he didn't recognize, outside. The night sky was a pure black, the air crisp. Why was his brain doing this? He shook his head.   
"I really have to stop doing that," He said freely before the anxiety could rise in his chest. It felt nice, not nervous to speak. Although he didn't mean to say it. Hannibal's head tilted confused  
"Doing what?" That made Will laugh again like he had been before his memory had cut. This really had to be a dream. He just shook his head again, eyes finding the car window, where inside Beverly was laying across the back seats. The lack of stress in his brain allowed him to meet Hannibal's eyes, curiosity filling them. "I'm driving you home." Answering a question yet to be asked. Will didn't even question it as he got into the passenger seat, next to where Hannibal had settled himself. The air grew silent, listening to the sounds of the car engine and Beverly's soft snores. Neither of them saying anything. They hadn't talked since the first time they had found themselves in Alana's bathroom, and Will couldn't help but find humor in the fact that once again Alana's bathroom had forced them together. His head felt better, maybe he wouldn't black out again. He really hoped.   
"Should she be," Will said, realizing that Beverly was laying in the back, unbuckled. "ya know?" How weird, he didn't even think before he spoke. As if Hannibal hadn't been causing Will extreme anxiety since the moment they had started talking. That just made the anxiety that hadn't entered Will's brain yet, rise, and bubble in his stomach. Great.   
"Oh probably not," His voice was weirdly comforting, part of Will had missed it. But he tried not to think about the fact he missed someone he had barely even met. "But I have a spotless record." There was some sarcasm in his voice, although Will knew he wasn't lying. The awkward silence fell again, and Will guessed whatever alcohol was in his system was wearing off. His eyes darted to the clock on the car radio. 1:27 am. He had only blacked out for an hour or so. The strange comfort of that settled into his skin before anxiety replaced it as he realized he still had no memories. That he had blacked out before Beverly had returned. God, the fear of this being a dream was replaced with hope. He didn't want to talk to Dr. Du Muarier about this next week.  
"Hey so, uh... What happened tonight?" It was probably stupid to ask, why would Hannibal know? He wasn't paying attention to Will all night. As soon as he said it he felt stupid, his face growing warm. Maybe Margot was right, this was a problem. But Hannibal just chuckled. That chuckle that made Will's head tingle and stomach flutter.   
"You don't remember?" That made the anxiety in Will's chest almost burst. He shook his head, feeling his voice caught in his throat. This was definitely not a dream, and he definitely wanted to not be there. In Hannibal Lecter's car, being laughed at. "It wasn't anything bad, Will. Just mildly entertaining." He was sure to look at Will to reassure him, and while his voice was reassuring Will still couldn't shake the anxiety that was definitely here to stay now. Just as Hannibal was about to continue, Will realized they were long past the dorms. He was driving them home, wasn't he?   
"Where are you taking us?" Will asked, interrupting whatever Hannibal was about to say. He didn't mean his voice to come out so suspicious, but he couldn't help it. Anxiety creeping from his brain into his veins and seeping deep in his tired bones. Whatever this evening had in store, Will wasn't sure he could anymore of it. 

"You really don't remember?" He was standing in an unfamiliar room, a heavy hand on his shoulder, someone's body close. This time he didn't flinch awake, his body felt like it was giving up. Brain trying to keep pace with what his eyes were seeing and how his body was moving. It was failing. There was a deep amount of care behind the eyes of the person in front of him and he felt a strange comfort from being so close to the man.   
"Uh, sorry." Will gulped, realizing that the anxiety he had felt before this blackout was gone again, no worry in his body. He stepped back, looking away from Hannibal to the space around him. The apartment was beautiful. Large windows, bookshelves that were full and dusty, it seemed more like a room in a mansion that an apartment. But he could somehow tell where he was, the place smelling like Hannibal. "Is this your apartment?" His eyes darted around from a couch, where Beverly laid passed out, to the bookshelves to the beautiful drawings that hung on his walls. If Will had doubted this man's wealth or class, it was all gone.   
"I told you I was taking you home." Will turned his attention back to Hannibal, the dimmed lighting of his apartment making it hard for him to see Hannibal fully. It took Will's brain a moment to process what Hannibal had said, mind distracted by the way the cream suit fit Hannibal's body. It felt like he was actually drunk again, letting his mind wander. When his brain did realize Hannibal had spoken, he laughed. He meant his home. Part of him wondered why Hannibal took them to his apartment. Then he realized leaving him and Beverly to fend for themselves while, seemingly both, drunk wouldn't have been a great idea. Especially not with his blackouts, although Hannibal didn't know the severity of those. Once he stopped laughing, he noticed that concerned look still in Hannibal's eyes.   
"It's fine." He said into the warm air of the apartment, not responding to a verbal question. It attempted to sound reassuring, but Will couldn't even convince himself. Hannibal's expression didn't change as he stepped closer to Will, not letting him break the eye contact.   
"Here," He said as he took Will's hand and led him to the kitchen. It was weird, part of Will felt like a young child following Hannibal, hands locked. But he had been blacking out, so he didn't think too much about it. "Let me get you something to drink." He was left standing in the equally as nice looking kitchen as Hannibal opened cupboards and drawers to find cups, a box of tea, and a kettle. The silence was nice and calm, watching Hannibal fill up the kettle, placing it on his stove, and preparing the tea made Will's body relax. He hadn't realized he had been so tense, the fuzz filling his brain felt comforting. This was okay, he was safe. As time slowly passed, cups being filled with hot water and tea bags being added, Will realized how tired his body was. Mindless standing in Hannibal's kitchen, a stranger in comfortable silence. "There." Hannibal set the cups down on the counter, looking up at Will. The concern creeping back into his vision.   
"Thanks," Will didn't mention that he wasn't a big fan of tea, instead he took the cup and sipped from it. Warmth calming his already tired and relaxed body.   
"Are you okay, Will?" He spoke it like he meant it, and Will didn't doubt it. All awkward interactions, rejections, slipping from his tired and fuzzy head. He was sure Hannibal could see the worry that marked his face and the tiredness in his eyes, yet he asked anyways. Never assuming.   
"Yeah, just tired." It wasn't a complete lie. Without thinking, his body too tired for his mind to interject, he lazily half-crawled onto the counter till he was sitting, legs dangling, cup in hand. Hannibal cocked his head at this but didn't say anything, moving so he was in front of Will, leaning against the kitchen island. "And probably a little drunk." Will added after another moment of silence, looking into his cup of tea.   
"You seem to be blacking out." The way Hannibal said it was so clinical, professional, and it made Will laugh again. He found everything a little too funny, huh? Definitely a little drunk. His eyes found maroon ones, from this angle he was taller than Hannibal.   
"What are you, my psychiatrist?" Will meant it jokingly, but something flashed behind Hannibal's eyes. Yet he didn't feel anxious, maybe these blackouts were good for him. No overthinking, he hadn't even blushed at the closeness of Hannibal or the way he had taken his hand. He had been calm. Hannibal licked his lips, taking another sip of tea.   
"I'm just worried, that's all." And that made Will's stomach flutter. Worried? Maybe their plan to make Hannibal jealous would've worked. Wait.   
"What did I do at Alana's? I really... can't remember anything." At that, it was Hannibal's turn to laugh. Maybe there was a little worry in Will's chest, but he felt too relaxed here in Hannibal's home to care.   
"Nothing notable outside of making out with Beverly." It was said so casually that Will almost didn't realize what he had really said before a memory flashed in his brain. Without thinking he put his hand up to his mouth, clearly their plan to make Hannibal jealous had happened. Not how Will thought it would've gone.   
"Oh god," Will muttered to himself, but part of him wanted to laugh. Tonight didn't go at all as he had planned, or maybe even wanted. But he couldn't be mad at ending up in Hannibal's kitchen. When he met Hannibal's gaze there was laughing behind his eyes too, a smirk on his lips. Something happening in his mind that Will wouldn't identify. "What?" He laughed out, the calm feeling turning to pleasure. This was nice. This was like ice cream outside in the snow. As if a month hadn't passed without an interaction.   
"Nothing," Hannibal stated, the look in his eyes turning into something Will could only describe as flirtatious. "Just not who I pictured you making out with." There was intent in his tone of voice, but it was still kind and caring. The laughter caught in Will's throat and he smirked as his eyes lingered on Hannibal's. What was happening?   
"Yeah, who did you picture me making out with?" It was greeted with another chuckle, another flutter in Will's stomach, a break in eye contact. The air was light, friendly. Nice. Will wanted to stay here forever. He could hear the smirk on Hannibal's lips in the quiet air, a shifting of his body just a hair closer. And something in Will wanted to give in, look up, lean down. Part of his brain felt like it would blackout again, maybe it did for a split second. Until Will realized his hands were on the sides of Hannibal’s face, pulling him closer.   
Hannibal hummed into the kiss, his hands finding a place on Will's back before he slowly pulled away. It was a weird position. Will sitting on the counter, his cup of tea lost somewhere next to him, Hannibal standing between his legs, looking slightly up at him.   
"Will," One of his hands had drifted from its place on the small of Will's back to the back of his neck, fingers lacing into his hair. His voice was so soft, so caught off-guard, Will couldn't help but pull him back in for another kiss. Soft, gentle, barely a peck. But it made Will feel warm again and he didn't want to stop. "Will," Hannibal said again as they parted, more stern this time. This was so perfect, so calm and comfortable. Will hadn't truly realized it was what he wanted till it had happened and part of him was grateful for his lapses of memory. "You're drunk," Will traced his thumb on his cheekbone, his other hand falling from Hannibal's face to his arm. He leaned his forehead on Hannibal's, wishing to stay in his arms forever. His brain buzzed, his mind was strangely empty.   
"I don't mind," And he meant it, this was the most relaxed he had been in ages. Either because he was drunk, or because his brain was messed up. He didn't mind either, didn't care how he ended up here. Hannibal smiled at Will, stepping back and helping him off the counter.   
"It's late, we should both rest." Taking Will's hand in his again, leading him out of the kitchen and into what Will assumed was Hannibal's bedroom. It was too dark for him to take in the room, his mind was so tired, his body felt weak. He didn't complain as he fell onto the bed, still fully dressed, on top of the covers. He didn't complain as Hannibal stroked his hair off his forehead and leaned down to kiss it. Before Will's mind went black again, he grabbed Hannibal's hand.   
"Did I make you jealous?" But then he was gone.


	12. I Like You, Idiot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Will deal with the aftermath of their drunken kiss. + Achilles and Patroclus mention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait on this one! I finally finished it, and instead of beta reading it, I'm just uploading it. Thank you all for your positive feedback on this series!! I'm glad you have been enjoying it, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

“Good morning,” Hannibal greeted Will, who was standing in the kitchen, watching as  
Hannibal made what he assumed to be breakfast. He had woken up disoriented in Hannibal’s  
bed, confused before the vague memories of the night came back to him. Dressed in the same  
clothes as the night before, now slightly sweaty. He probably looked like a mess. Aside from  
that, he had slept surprisingly well in Hannibal’s bed. The first time he had really slept in the  
past few months. Maybe it was the alcohol or the tiredness. Or the contentedness he had felt  
after kissing Hannibal. Fuck. Will blushed, realizing now as he was more sober, that he had no  
idea what to do.  
“Uh, good morning.” His voice was rough, throat dry. Hannibal noticed, retrieving a glass  
of water and placing it in front of Will, smiling when they’re eyes met. His gaze lingered on  
Hannibal as he returned to the stove, the smell of eggs and cheese in the air. It was weird to  
see the European man in pajamas. A red sweater, sleeves pushed up to show his forearms and  
pajama pants. He looked normal.  
“Did you sleep well?” Of course, he doesn’t sound the slightest bit tired. Will takes a sip  
of the water and tries to ignore the headache that has crept into his brain. A hangover. Hannibal  
looked over his shoulder waiting for a response, Will just shrugged. His brain was still groggy,  
and it hurt, and he was still so tired. He didn’t want to process anything that was happening.  
Part of him wanted to pretend he was still drunk, it was more fun that way. Hannibal turned the  
stove off, moving to find plates and forks, Will watched in a trace. He had made them omelets,  
which looked amazing. Once Hannibal plated them and placed them on the counter next to Will,  
he looked up. They were standing close, but Will couldn’t make himself feel weird about it. It  
was nice. The closeness as Hannibal took another step towards Will. His brain was too tired to  
feel uncomfortable. Screw being a victim if Hannibal had wanted to use him he could’ve last  
night. Instead, he had tucked him in and made his breakfast. Hannibal lifted a hand to Will’s  
cheek and stroked it softly, looking into his eyes.  
“Are you okay with this?” He asked softly, Will smiled at him and nodded. It was so  
gentle and kind and Will couldn’t find words to respond. It was warm and comforting, being so  
close.  
“Oh shit, didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” There was Beverly, more of a mess than Will,  
standing in front of them. She looked exhausted, her makeup smeared, and her bright pink hair  
messy. Will’s face turned bright red but he didn’t move away from Hannibal. Hannibal just smiled  
softly and stepped away, gesturing to the omelets. He didn’t say anything, not wanting to put  
any words into Will’s mouth about them. Will looked at the floor awkwardly.  
“I made breakfast,” Hannibal said it so casually as if nothing had happened Beverly  
looked between the two men and shrugged, thanking Hannibal for the food. They both watched  
as she took the plate and fork and returned to the couch she had fallen asleep on, not  
bothering to take in the apartment.  
“Sorry about last night, but thank you for everything.” Genuine thankfulness in her voice,  
quickly starting to eat.  
“Not a problem, dear.” Smiles exchanged, that calm politeness in Hannibal’s voice that  
reminded Will that he was still somewhat douchy. But he couldn’t bring himself to care. How  
Beverly wasn’t dead-hungover was mindboggling to Will, but not as confusing as the way his  
stomach twisted as Hannibal’s hand gently set on his waist, just for a moment as he moved to  
sit at a table. The not-tired part of his brain felt somewhat uncomfortable with the casual  
touches, the domesticity of this thing that wasn’t even a thing yet. He was just tired. So he  
gulped down water and awkwardly stood in the kitchen as they all ate in somewhat silence.  
After a few moments, Beverly’s phone started ringing. Will’s whole body flinched, feeling  
Hannibal’s eyes on him.  
“Sorry! Calm down, jeez,” In a blink of an eye she was up from the couch, placing her  
dishes on the counter next to the sink, and quickly collecting her purse and finding where her  
shoes had ended up. “Brian, for fuck’s sake I didn’t ghost you. I got hammered,” It was  
endearing to listen to her bicker with her friends, combing her messy hair out with one hand, the  
other shoving a shoe one, phone pressed to her ear with her shoulder. Condensed on the floor,  
voice loud, although that was probably just Will’s headache, as the two men watched. Once  
both shoes were on, she stood up and smiled at Hannibal again. She mouthed another thank  
you and pointed to her phone, then eyeballed Will, and found her way to the door.  
“She’s an interesting bird, isn’t she?” It was a statement, not a question, but Will nodded  
in agreement. As the door slammed, making Will’s head burst with pain, he realized they were  
alone now. Another few minutes passed before Hannibal stood up to put his plate in the sink. Will awkwardly handed him his now-empty plate. They were both in the kitchen just like last night when… Well. Why was this making him so uncomfortable? “Are you uncomfortable, Will?” There was so much care and kindness behind his voice, and Will couldn’t help but respond without thinking.  
“Yes, very.” He somewhat laughed it out, his chest pounding as Hannibal turned away from the sink to face him. He looked concerned, which didn’t make anything better. Will tried to look up to meet his gaze, trying to smile like it wasn’t really a problem. Although he had just announced it out loud. God, what an idiot. Hannibal’s eyes craved a reason, an explanation as to why. “It’s not you,” Well. “No, it is. It’s just, I don’t know what I’m saying.” He was rambling, tripping over his words, and feeling exactly like he had every other time he was with Hannibal. Maybe this school-girl crush was a bad idea.  
“I’ve been waiting for you to kiss me.” It seemed off-topic, although it wasn’t entirely. Hannibal’s eyes stayed on Will and watched as he blushed, avoiding the gaze. “Although I can’t say that I imagined it being a drunken action, but who am I to start complaining?” Will shifted his weight, unsure about where this was going. He almost wanted to respond, because he had also imagined it going differently too. Not that he was surprised, it made sense that his anxiety would prevent him from kissing Hannibal Lecter. Anxiety, or common sense. “My point is,” Hannibal’s eyes begged to be met, so Will caved and glanced up to meet them. Dark and maroon and so caring, why couldn’t he just be the douchebag he had been before? Something so human in how he stood in pajamas, in his insanely nice apartment, looking at Will like he was the most important thing in the room. What was his point? “I was waiting for you, because I meant what I said in Alana’s bathroom,” Humor in his voice as he mentioned it. “I want you to trust me.”  
“But why?” His voice edged on anger as he shot the question at Hannibal. It was annoying how careful and kind he was being. Nothing like his obvious flirtations, or following Will to his classes. He wasn’t putting on his posh persona, it scared Will. Hannibal sighed.  
“Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.” The words are curious, and Will’s brows furrow with confusion. A quotation, a reference, but Will couldn’t figure out from what it was from. “Why did you kiss me last night?” Curiosity peaked behind his eyes. He had known the motive for most things last night, how Will had wanted to make him jealous. But he still wanted Will to admit it. Hear him say that he did want Hannibal, in some way or the other. It crept under Will’s skin, annoying him. Annoyed because Hannibal asked, or because he couldn’t figure out how to respond. “You can say it was because you were drunk, or confused, or tired. You can even make a point that you wanted to ground yourself from your clear dissociative state. And, if that’s how you choose to respond, I will accept that answer. But tell me, Will. Why would you deny yourself the pleasure you crave?” Okay, the normal Hannibal was back. Stating what Will wanted, describing himself as a pleasure. He couldn’t be angry because it was all true. It was what he wanted, what he showed Hannibal he had wanted last night. Why was he denying himself now?  
“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while,” Will glanced away from Hannibal as he responded to the original question. Face flushing red, if he ever wasn’t around Hannibal. A lump was in his throat, but his eyes begged to return to the man in front of him. “I just don’t know what I’m doing.” He admitted, watching Hannibal’s face as he spoke. “And I don’t want to… mess anything up.” There was a twitch in Hannibal’s body as if he wanted to move forward, reassure Will, but he didn’t move. His eyes scanned Will’s face and body language, unable to stop himself from smiling slightly.  
“Will,” He met his eyes again, sending a shiver down Will’s spine. “You aren’t going to mess anything up.” That made Will laugh because he knew it was untrue. There were a hundred ways Will could and had messed up. How Hannibal was so patient with him didn’t make sense to him. He had rejected him, ignored him, walked out on him, and been confused and sending mixed signals for weeks. And yet, here Hannibal stood, waiting for Will to just verbally admit what he wanted. Son of a bitch, couldn’t accept Will’s drunk actions of the evening to be the confession.  
“You’re just waiting for me to say it, huh?” Will swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling more comfortable with their maintained eye contact than before. The red of his face was fading as he realized what he needed. What he had been denying himself all this time. “I want to kiss you because I like you, idiot.” He mumbled the last word, intending it to be endearing. Hannibal laughed at his choice of words. Will tried to ignore how stupid it sounded, admitting a teenage crush. This could work. This could be okay. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” He muttered, glancing away from Hannibal as they laughed, Will’s face plastered with a stupid smile.  
“Neither do I, darling.” It was pleasant, hearing his accent linger in the kitchen air. He repeated the “darling” in his own southern drawl, making Hannibal’s eyes soften. It was silent for a moment before Will’s smile dropped for a second.  
“But I’m not going to be one of your victims.” His voice wavered, unsure. The uneasiness in his stomach and gaze as Hannibal watched him.  
“That was never the plan.” Stupid smile returning to his lips at the honesty in Hannibal’s voice. He nodded to himself, reassuring himself that Hannibal wasn’t lying or leading him on. Finally, Hannibal moved slightly. Reaching his hand out to Will, eyes asking permission. Will laughed again softly, taking his hand in his. It was soft and simple, they still stood across from each other. Smiling at each other.  
“Fuck, what time is it?” Will said, looking around, the realities of the world hitting him. It was a Sunday, so he was sure he didn’t have anything urgent. But he had forgotten about his regular routine, not that he didn’t want this. He would prefer to stay here all day. Expect he had homework to do, and he was sure he smelled somewhat terrible, and he really didn’t want to be interrupting Hannibal’s plans. Unless Hannibal had somehow planned on Will to end up here.  
“10ish.” Hannibal chuckled, watching the slight panic flood Will’s face. “I didn’t want to wake you up,” He explained as Will checked his phone. There were a few texts from Beverly.

how long are you two planning on being? ;) - [10:04 am]  
no, seriously tho. brian’s almost here to pick us up - [10:11 am]

“I should probably go,” Will said reluctantly as Hannibal let go of his hand, never taking his eyes off Will. He nodded, smile softly fading. “Beverly is waiting.”  
“So?” Will laughed and looked away, face flushing slightly again. “We reached for each other and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake in this room loving him in silence.” His voice is thick with peace, his stance relaxed. Will tried to decipher his facial expression and words but gets lost in how happy he looks. Hannibal smiles, somewhat to himself, watching Will. “Achilles and Patroclus.” He answered the unspoken question in Will’s eyes. “Do you know them?” Will shook his head sheepishly, realizing all the books that filled this apartment. How Hannibal was surely more well-read than him.  
“Why do you speak in the most confusing ways?” It was somewhat endearing, in its own way. Maybe annoying at first, but Will couldn’t stop himself from enjoying the sound of Hannibal’s voice. He smiled cockily.  
“The element of surprise.” That made Will laugh again, rolling his eyes. Very endearing.

They had awkwardly said goodbye, Will found his way down the elevator and to Brian’s car where they had been waiting. The drive home was quiet, on Will’s behalf, Beverly not mentioning Hannibal and Will to Brian. Brian had “been in the area”. Will’s head hurt. Now as he laid down in his regular bed, his head was spinning. One too many painkillers had been taken, Beverly had left him alone in their room, and the world still seemed loud. He had changed his clothes too, brushed his teeth. Tried not to think too much about how any of this would play out, but failed as he googled Achilles and Patroclus and read the Wikipedia page about them. The Illiad. Of course, Hannibal would be one to reference characters from Greek history. Halfway through the article, his phone rang.  
“Hey, buddy.” It was Alana, voice too loud, intentions hopefully kind. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to sound as though his head wasn’t throbbing. “How hungover are you?” He knew she would try to pry information out of him, and part of him hoped she would. But he groaned slightly before responding, desperate to return to as much silence as he could.  
“Very,” He could hear the impatience in her silence, waiting for him to say something but eventually giving up.  
“How did last night go?” It was funny how invested his few friends were in his life, but he guessed he couldn’t blame them. He laughed slightly, before stopping because of his head.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He joked and Alana sighed, but he could hear the smile on her face.  
“You’re surprisingly funny for being so hungover so I’m gonna take that as a good sign.” She knew him too well.  
“Maybe,” Then the crushing anxiety he had put off crowded his chest and he groaned again. “He compared us to some Greek warriors who were in love.” Alana started laughing way too loudly, but Will wasn’t surprised.  
“Achilles and Patroclus?” His confirmation in the silence. “Oh my god, Hannibal really fell for you. Who would’ve thought?” He tried not to read too much into that and tried to get lost in the bliss of the morning, and the night before. It was easy to get lost in. “When are you guys going out?” Alana was very good at interrupting his peace. Not that he minded, he just hadn’t thought about that yet.  
“God, I don’t know. Ask him.” She laughed again, then apologized for being so loud. This was a mess. A mess who was a good kisser, but still a mess.  
“Okay, well give me updates, and please take a nap. You and Bev really went for it last night.” Then she hung up, leaving Will in his silence again. Although it was barely even noon, Will felt exhausted. He let his eyes drift close and felt himself get lost thinking about Hannibal. If he messed this up, well he could deal with it later. Right now he would fall asleep, somehow happy about having a beautiful and strange man who was a little bit in love with him. And he would stress about it later.


	13. Dog Parks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Hannibal go on their first official date, and it leads to unexpected places.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the really long wait on this final chapter! More notes at the end folks, but I hope you enjoy.

“This is a bad idea,” Will was standing in front of Beverly, Alana, and Margot, holding his arms out weirdly as they looked at his outfit. This wasn’t his normal thing. The whole, going out with a rich European man who spoke in riddles. Honestly, aside from an agreement to meet outside Will’s dorm building at 7 pm, there was no plan that Will was aware of. He was sure Hannibal had something, but that only made him more anxious. He hadn’t invited Alana and Margot to reassure him, but here they were with Beverly. Having way more fun than Will was. 

“It’s a great idea, I think,” Alana said in her calm therapist voice, reassuring Will regardless of how on edge he was. He rolled his eyes and she clicked her tongue. “What’s the worse that’ll happen?” Will opened his mouth to start the endless amount of horrible and bad ways this evening could, and probably would end, but Alana stopped him, “Ya know, don’t answer that.”

“You’ve already gone on plenty of weird friend-dates and, if you think about it, you’ve already slept in his bed so really, this is just like- here,” Beverly scrambled out of her bed to take Will’s glasses off and comb her fingers through his hair. “-normal. Totally ordinary. Do you own contacts?” He sighed and nodded, turning to find them in his new mess from trying to figure out what to wear. Although he was sure Hannibal would be dressed up as per his usual., Will had ended up with a plain colored button-up and black pants. It was more dressed up than usual, and he didn’t even know where he got the light-colored shirt from. But it fit his body well and hugged his arms in some way that Beverly said made him look hot. So he assumed it would be fine.

“So glad I don’t have to do that,” Margot observed as Will struggled to put in contacts, which he rarely wore. He blinked aggressively and then looked back at the girls, worry in his gaze. Beverly looked at him seriously, Alana had a kind smile, and Margot looked amused.

“So?” The three of them looked him up and down, Will crossed his arms over his chest. Beverly gave him a thumbs up, Margot shrugged, and Alana smiled widely. 

“This is gonna be okay, Will. Different isn’t bad, stepping outside your comfort zone is good and rewarding! Even if everything doesn’t go exactly the way you thought it would, you should try to have fun with this guy you like. That’s the whole point to going on dates-” Margot interrupts Alana’s advice rant with:

“And it’s 7:02 pm.” Will’s heart starts to race and he automatically looks around for his coat avoiding the gaze of his friends. After muttering a few swear words, he stands with his coat on, phone, and wallet in his pockets and hands petting his soft curly hair that he had washed thoroughly this morning. 

“Uh, thanks for your help. I-” He gestured towards the door, giving them an apologetic look. Beverly stepped towards him and hugged him quickly, then stepped back and gave him one last look.

“Wait, should we be here when you guys get back or?” The humor in her tone was the same as her eyes and Margot laughed from the bed, Alana swatted her arm but held back a laugh too. Will’s face flushed and he groaned. 

“Okay, see y’all tomorrow.” And he closed the door not before hearing Beverly yell:

“Go back to his place please-”  _ Slam. _

It was only a few minutes late, Hannibal would understand. But that didn’t stop a nervous sweat to break out on Will’s forehead. The elevator taking longer than usual to open. Alana was right, this would be fine. But his mind wouldn’t stop racing about where they were going or what he would say, or how the evening would end. It had been a quiet week since they had seen each other last, not running into each other or seeking each other out. Maybe they had agreed they would take it slow on their own. That didn’t stop Will from thinking about Hannibal all the time, especially when he would send a simple text. Either saying good morning or asking how Will was. It was strangely normal and while it was nice and made Will’s heart flutter, it had become inconvenient. 

_ “Who was that?” Dr. Du Maurier had asked after watching Will open his phone briefly after it buzzed. He had blushed and shoved it in his pocket.  _

_ “Oh, just a friend.” He had said it sheepishly and avoided his doctor’s gaze. This wasn’t the point to their session, it had interrupted a thrilling conversation about anxiety medication. She had shifted in her chair and looked at him intently.  _

_ “Most of your friends don’t interrupt our sessions, Will.” The way she said “friends” made Will shiver and cross his arms, body tensing.  _

_ “Sorry, I just forgot to silence my phone.” He gulped awkwardly, “What were we talking about?” The look in her eyes was curious and somewhat upset at him for dismissing the topic.  _

_ “You clearly have other things on your mind, feel free to share them. That’s why we’re here, aren’t we?” She was clearly intent on continuing this new conversation.  _

Will rolled his eyes at himself as the elevator reached the ground floor. He had stuttered a bunch, mentioned the date, and quickly asked Dr. Du Maurier to change the subject. She had nodded and written something down, that was still on Will’s mind as he opened the door and felt the cold air greet him. 

“Good evening, Will,” There he was leaning against his car, watching the door intently. The first thing Will noticed was that he wasn’t in a suit, and he let out a sigh of relief before smiling at Hannibal awkwardly. He grinned back, his eyes crinkling around the edges. 

“Hey,” The air seemed extra quiet, and Will realized he had missed Hannibal in the few days they’d been apart. Which was slightly embarrassing but he would never admit it. “Sorry, I’m late,” Glancing away, palms sweating, his brain turning to mush. “-the girls distracted me.” Talking with his hands to make up for his stuttering voice and avoided eye contact. 

“The girls?” Accent thick, making Will shiver, his head cloudy with the reality of the situation. Hannibal was watching him kindly, eyes looking Will up and down casually to not draw attention to himself. He was wearing a variation of his normal clothes and jewelry, choosing gold and warm colors in his clothes. The same winter jacket as always, his face laced with the question. 

“Oh, uh,” Will blushed, his brain feeling extra slow out here in the cold. “Bev and Alana and uh Margot.” He shoved his hands in his pockets to avoid his hands flailing around uselessly and met Hannibal’s gaze. A soft chuckle and humor behind his eyes. “It’s not exactly like I do this often, okay?” Will said defensively but smiled shyly, glancing at his feet. 

“I didn’t say anything, did I?” His face stayed flushed, especially with the cold air. Hannibal looked at him, lingering, Will swayed slightly unsure what to say or do. He shrugged in response but kept his gaze down on his feet. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to look back at Hannibal, he did. It had been on his mind constantly, but his brain wasn’t letting him stay in the moment or talk. “You look nervous.” He must be shaking slightly, and of course, Hannibal knew it wasn’t just the cold. This was worse than the night of Will’s blackouts, awkwardness in the air that was all his fault.

“Sorry, I’m just-”

“Bad at this?” Will met his gaze and shrugged, Hannibal just opened the passager door and nodded towards it. He scampered to move past Hannibal and into the car, the door closing gently behind him. This really was a bad idea, the politeness made Will feel unsure and confused. Nothing like the past dates Will had gone on, most times he was the dominant one, however ridiculous that sounded to himself. Hannibal settled into the drivers’ seat, starting the car, and then looking at Will with a familiar kindness. 

“Can you act normal for this?” The car was still in park as Will awkwardly shifted in his seat and meet Hannibal’s gaze. His face still laced with the slight humor that only slightly pissed Will off. 

“Normal?” A mischievous look shined in his eyes, something that reminded Will that he wasn’t always perfect nor polite. A warm feeling from their first drunken kiss in Hannibal’s kitchen. Not perfect. There was too much pressure, the idea of this evening seemed too hard. 

“Something easy, something that doesn’t make me sweat this much.” He tried not to stutter over his words, tried to look at Hannibal and the wrinkles around his eyes. The car was slowly heating up, and Hannibal didn’t seem like he was intending on going anywhere soon. 

“Do I make you nervous, Will?” Will laughed to himself, looking around through the windows of the car, which had fogged up. Absentmindedly, he moved to wipe the fog away to see the slowly darkening night sky. 

“Ha, no shit.” He shot an apologetic look at Hannibal as his laughter trailed off. “No, you… You don’t make nervous. Dating makes me nervous and feelings make me nervous and you being some stuck up gentleman all the time makes me nervous.” Hannibal nodded, the way he settled into the front seat reminded Will of how Hannibal seemed settled-in everywhere. Alana’s kitchen, the purple air of her parties, and a drink in hand. The bathroom, looking as Will had sat awkwardly on the tub. The easiness with which he existed in every space, however out of place he should’ve seemed. Will envied that.

“Well Will, I can’t say I didn’t assume that of you,” Now it was Will’s eyes that were lit up with curiosity, attention unapologetically focused on Hannibal. The assumption was obviously correct but Hannibal was up to something and somehow Will didn’t feel nervous about it. They knew each other, regardless of how weird their interactions had been and how much getting to know each other they still had to do, they really did know each other. In a way that may be scared Will, but made him somewhat comfortable. It was odd. This was all sudden and strange and odd. “I’m not one to make assumptions,” Hannibal added with a smile. 

“You think it’s rude?” Will remarked light-heartedly and tried not to overthink the fuzzy feeling in his heart.  _ Don’t ruin this.  _ Was running repeat in his head. Hannibal chuckled, a warmth that matched the air in the car. They could do this, just sit in Hannibal’s car and laugh. It wasn’t that Will wasn’t a romantic… well he wasn’t. The ice cream in Will’s dorm, breakfast at Hannibal’s. The simpleness was comfortable. 

“Yes, I do. But I think it’s a fair assessment to say you are not one for anything over the top.” Will nodded sheepishly, Hannibal just smiled. “I find your nerves endearing.” Almost hesitantly, but too confidently to be labeled as such, Hannibal reached out and rested his hand on Will’s thigh comfortably. His thumb moved across the fabric softly, and Will almost sighed into it. It was so grounding and soft, his hand lingering as he turned to get ready to drive. 

“I’m glad,” Will choked out, his body reacting to the gentle touch. “It might’ve been a deal-breaker if you didn’t.” His body mourning the loss of Hannibal’s hand as he moved it to put the car in reverse. Will had driven with many people, even Hannibal before, but now he was mesmerized by Hannibal’s actions. Maybe it was his way of distracting himself from the thoughts racing in his head. Where were they going? All the things that could spiral from here. It had been nice so far, so nice. Nice for them and nice for Hannibal. But it had been only fifteen minutes, really so much worse could happen. 

“So, where too?” Hannibal looked at Will with that mischievous look in his eyes being accompanied by a smile, what was happening? 

“So,” It was 7:45 pm. Will bit his tongue to not mention how Hannibal had started their first conversation like that. So, so, so. They were no longer in the warm air of Hannibal’s car, comfortably laughing and chatting about nothing at all. No, the air was chilly and brisk. Leaving fog in the air as they exhaled into the silence, the sky dark. It should be getting warmer as spring approached, but the two men stood in the snow with coats held tight. Hannibal’s arms were crossed over his chest, his heavy woolen coat draping over his tall figure. He looked soft in the moonlight, hair glistening silver, and eyes sparkling. 

“So?” They were standing next to each other, Will observing Hannibal from the corner of his eye, the way he stood, stiff and cold. But he could see and feel Hannibal’s gaze directly on him, watching how he stood and breathed and looked at the world. Will hadn’t put on his warmest jacket, but he would manage. The cold didn’t bother him anymore, he liked it even. Hands in his pockets, shoulders relaxed as he looked up at the sky. Beverly had tried to fix his hair, but he had ruffled a hand through it and now strands hung in front of his face. Where Hannibal’s body was tense his was relaxed. There was a questioning gaze as Hannibal watched him, with care. Those eyes only looked at Will with kindness and it made the cold go away a bit. 

“Why did you bring me here?” His eyes darted back to where he had parked his car as if something might’ve happened to it. Hannibal wasn’t settled in. This wasn’t his place. It made Will feel some type of comfort and relief to see him out of place, to have control over this. A car drove past, the lights were on the apartment building across the street, and the streetlights made the night air not feel so dark. The street was wet with melted snow, white flakes drifting around the city slowly. Will laughed as he looked around the dog park. 

“It’s somewhere that doesn’t make me nervous.” Though normally he spent his time here in the summer, when he was worse at getting therapy meetings regularly and when he wasn’t as stressed out. The familiar memory of heat and green grass, the smell of wet dog came to him, making him feel a bit warmer, a bit more relaxed. Something made him smile about the idea of Hannibal sitting next to him, awkwardly petting the dogs that normally came Will’s way to play. He glanced over to Hannibal to see the reactions to his words, the way he still stood tense and cold and uncomfortable. 

“Are you cold?” Even though Hannibal looked more frozen than Will. Will shook his head and looked at his feet awkwardly. Did he really pick an empty dog park in winter to be their date spot? He felt stupid, but there was still the sense of uncomfortableness radiating off of Hannibal and it was far too funny to see him out of place. 

“Here,” Something about this small park made Will stop caring, he should probably mention it to Dr. Du Maurier. He grabbed Hannibal’s gloved hand and dragged him up the slight hill and under a tree, now leafless compared to the summer shade he would find himself usually. No attempt was made to let go of Hannibal’s hand as Will sat down, right there in the snow, looking up at Hannibal as if expecting him to sit now too. “This is my favorite spot.” There must’ve been some childish, playful, content look in Will’s face and body that made Hannibal cave and join Will, hesitantly, on the ground. He didn’t attempt to respond, he just looked around the park and the streets and buildings around them for a moment. Will looked at his face as is calmed and relaxed, enjoying the chilly winter air. There was a rosiness to his cheek, the foggy air when he exhaled, Will didn’t want to ever look away. This was better than any other date he had been on, which said a lot considering the lack of words shared. Softly, almost unnoticeably, Hannibal squeezed Will’s hand as he looked back at him. Will choked on the air and squeezes back, harsher and maybe too tightly but he can’t help himself. Hannibal smiled and leaned back against the tree, relaxed now. 

“I used to live in one of those apartments,” He nods his head to the beautiful apartment building across from where they had parked.  _ Chesapeake Commons Apartments _ . Will is familiar with the building, having spent many days in this park. It always looked too nice to live in, and he gives Hannibal a look of disbelief. “The first few years of school, but I grew out of the space.” He says it very casually and when Will’s look of disbelief stays he clears his throat. “I was given a better price for my current place, moved there over the summer. There are pros to having lots of friends.” Will shook his head and shifted to sit closer to Hannibal, leaning his back on the tree, bumping his leg against Hannibal’s. 

“How many times did you notice a nerdy guy playing with dogs out across the street?” He teases, thinking about how many times they could’ve met outside of the informalities of Alana’s. Hannibal shrugs and looks down at their hands. Quickly he lets go and takes his glove off, grabbing Will’s hand as soon as it left. Skin on skin, it’s so warm. 

“So this is your safe space?” Will nods but keeps looking at Hannibal’s large hand holding his so gently. Hannibal could become his safe space, they just had to get better at this. Become familiar. He thinks they can, he knows they will try at least. After a moment of silence, Will flusters. 

“Sorry, do you want to do something? This is a bad date, we’re sitting in a dog park. We can go somewhere. I don’t know why I took you here, I’m sorry-” Hannibal holds a finger to Will’s lips and when he stops sputtering, he moved his gloved hand to caress his cheek. Humor and gold glitter in his eyes as he looks into Will’s blue irises. 

“You took me somewhere you feel safe, I’m honored to share it with you.” Will sighed and nodded, still feeling embarrassed. “Although I’m sure it’s more entertaining with dogs.” He laughs as he speaks, the sound that makes Will’s chest constrict with joy. Will joins in the laughter and fights the urge to lay his head against Hannibal’s shoulder and breathe together. 

“Have you ever had a dog?” Hannibal blinks at the question and shakes his head, watching for disappointment in Will’s gaze. 

“No, I have not. The closest thing I’ve had to having a pet was taking care of my sister.” Silence grows for a moment, Will recognizing the sadness in Hannibal’s eyes although he smiles. 

“Well, you’ve missed out.” He lets his mind wander to the childhood dog he grew up with, and the strays he took care of until his dad made him take them to the pound. Hannibal’s hand draws him back, softly releasing Will’s hand and moving it against his inner thigh gently. He felt Will’s body tense under his touch, meeting his gaze softly and not moving as Will brought a hand to Hannibal’s. 

“I’m sure I have.” It was whispered into the air, letting the silence stay. Soft and cold but a type of cold that holds on tight and makes you feel safe. Just them, looking at the snow that drifted down and the city around them. Legs pressed together, bodies close. Will didn’t think anything had felt this nice in a long time. No expectations or anxiety, just silence and snow. It was sometime past 8 pm and he felt tired like he could curl into Hannibal’s body and fall asleep there. After a while, Will turned back to look at Hannibal’s side profile. 

“The girls put a bit too much into my appearance for us to end up sitting here.” Hannibal smiled, Will thought about how he would tell his friends about his date. Maybe he wouldn’t, just let this stay between them. 

“I don’t mind just sitting here,” Hannibal turned his head slightly, eyes taking in Will like every time he saw him it was the first. “As long as next time I get to take you where I want.” Will sat back slightly, his brain turning to mush and a static buzz. 

“Next time?” That made Hannibal laugh, deep and hot and ecstatic. His hand tightened on Will’s leg, face content. Will couldn’t think straight, couldn’t stop the buzzing in his head. 

“Of course, Will. Of course, there’s a next time.” And Will couldn’t himself because his head felt as blurry as it had when he was black-out drunk. 

It was sometime after 8 pm. It was a Friday sometime in February. He was in a dog park in Baltimore, Maryland. His name was Will Graham. And he was kissing the man, who was no longer a stranger, in front of him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels bittersweet to finally finish this story, but I left it open if I ever want to expand on it. 13 chapters felt like a good amount to me, and I really hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for sticking it out, I hope you grew to love these weird versions of the cast like I did. Any feedback is always welcome, I'd love to hear it. My Hannibal Tumblr is @ twohornycannibals if you wanna message me or follow me there. Thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please feel free to add comments and kudos, I'd love to respond and read them. ps. i haven't experienced irl college yet so please take this with a grain of salt


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